Fight For Me
by SoulHeartShipper
Summary: This story sets after season 4 in an attempt to fix this mess about Zelena's pregnancy. Will Regina accept the situation so easily? Will Robin try to prove his love for her? Will he fight for her or choose his honor above her again? Prepare yourself for some anguish, drama and lots of fluff. This is an OutlawQueen Endgame fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, guys!**

 **This is my first attempt for a fanfic!  
English is not my native language, so forgive me for all mistakes.  
A huge thank you for Gabi and Monica. You're the best betas in the world! *-***

 **Anyway, I didn't like this plot about Zelena' pregnancy. Don't get me wrong but I don't think this baby was a good idea. Especially the way the baby was conceived: by revenge, lies and without love.**  
 **And I'd really love if they showed us more about Robin's POV. Everything happened too fast. Regina forgave him and accepted this situation so fast and they didn't show us how Robin is feeling about this mess! Zelena used him! For God sakes!**  
 **I love Robin and Regina and I think they deserve more than this!**  
 **And no, I don't accept the way they did that to them!**  
 **So, I'm sure some people won't like about how I'll fix this mess but I think it's the only way (at least for me) the things can end better!**

 **Just a note: in this fanfic, Emma didn't turn into the Dark One. The darkness is lost in somewhere. At least for while!**

 **So, here's the first chapter!**  
 **Enjoy and leave a comment! *-***

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1**

She was off. Was she happy? Yes, but something wasn't right. She wasn't the same person with him anymore. She just…couldn't be anymore. It had been two months since everything had happened, since she went to New York and figured out the truth: her soulmate had moved on with "his wife" who was actually her wicked sister. The worst part was that now she was pregnant, she was having a child with him.

Of course Regina understood that awkward situation, he didn't know that woman was her sister, but he had moved on, hadn't he? And all that had happened too fast! One day, he chose Regina but three days later, as Zelena teased her in one of their conversations, he had decided to move on. Robin had even said that he loved Marian and moved on with her.

Maybe if he had waited… maybe if he had tried to find a way back to Regina... maybe if he had fight for her! But he didn't!

* * *

 _ **** FlashBack on ****_

Regina was in the hospital to check on Zelena. After that mess caused because the author put them into an alternative universe, Regina hadn't talked to Zelena. She had only asked the doctors if her sister was alright, but after one month, she had to see Zelena for herself. And, this time, Robin was going with her. They were on this together, as they said.

"Well, well! Look who is finally here!" Zelena exclaimed as they entered her room.

"I can see you are fine"! Regina replied.

"Yes, still pregnant and now… married to Robin!" Zelena said with a sarcastic tone.

Robin lowered his head and took a deep breath.

 _This is not going to be easy_. He thought to himself.

And then, Zelena added:

"As you can see, little sis, no matter in what universe we stay, you can't be happy!"

"I think you're wrong. I am happy because I have everything that I love with me." Regina smiled victoriously, grabbed Robin's hand and squeezed it. He squeezed it back and kissed the side of her head.

"Oh, really? Please! I've been watching you for a long time and I can tell you're a lot of things, but stupid? I really didn't think you were!" Zelena said pointing her finger to her sister.

"What the hell are you talking about? You're jealousy of me, you always have been!" Regina exclaimed.

"Well, you're right about the part that I _was_ jealous of you, but now I'm not anymore." Zelena said and approached Robin.

"Did you tell her the whole truth, thief?" Zelena teased Robin.

"Did you tell her about our heated nights when you begged to fuck me? Did you tell her that not even one week passed since we left Storybrooke and you said that you loved me and fucked me?" Zelena was walking towards Regina and looking at Robin, throwing these offensive words over her shoulder.

"And oh… Regina, now I understand why you are with him! He is really good!" As soon as Zelena said these words, Regina slapped her in the face.

"Ouch!" Zelena put her hand in her face and added:

"You can slap me as much as you want but this won't change the fact that your _true love_ left you here and moved on with me in one week and didn't even think about you!" Zelena said gruffly towards her sister.

"Or did you think about her when you were fucking me every single night, Robin?" She approached Robin again, too close for his like.

"As I can remember, it wasn't her name you were screaming while I pleasured you, right? " Zelena said, playing with her fingers in the collar of his shirt.

"So, sis! I have pity on you. Are you sure this man, who did all that, really loves you? I beg to differ!" Zelena said with a wicked and big smile.

"Do you miss me?" Zelena completed whispering these words in Robin's ears.

"That's enough!" Robin screamed and took a step back, releasing himself from Zelena's grip.

"Come on, Regina! Let's get out of here!"

Regina was frozen in her place, looking into nothing. She was trying to absorb everything Zelena had said.

Had Robin moved on in less than one week?

Did he sleep with that woman every single night? Did he scream that woman's name?

That was too much for her. She couldn't think, the room started to feel so small for her and she couldn't even breathe properly. She had been an idiot for thinking that Robin had made sex with Zelena just once. Of course not! The woman was pregnant and that rarely happens in the first time of an intercourse.

Did he have moved on in less than one week?

 _Jesus!_

Regina wanted to disappear from there. She didn't want to see Robin anymore.

That was disgusting! She wanted to throw up. Maybe Zelena was right and maybe he was with her because he didn't have any other choice. Maybe he didn't love her enough.

"Regina!" It was Robin's voice that took her from these thoughts.

"Let's go"! He completed. And she did.

Afterwards, they didn't talk about that anymore. Regina was just pretending she was fine, however she wasn't. Zelena's words kept stuck in her mind and hunting her dreams and thoughts every single day more and more.

 _ **** FlashBack off ****_

* * *

Regina knew that she kind of gave him her blessing to moving on, but he didn't even try to find a way back to her. He didn't even call her to tell he was alive, that he was fine.

Does he really care about her feelings? Does he really love her?

Or was he with her because he hadn't any other option? What if Marian were really Marian? Well, in that case he would never be by her side in her bed now, cuddling with her and spreading all his warm breath on her neck.

The worst part was that Regina had never told him how she was really feeling about the situation, but now it was too late. She had told him they'd face that together, after all, it wasn't his fault…or was it?

 _But God, the baby!_

He was having a baby with her sister! A baby that she'd never be able to give to him, to give to herself. She was barren and she did that to herself on purpose.

And now what? Every time she looks at that child, she'd remember that, she'd remember that mess.

What if Zelena needs him because of the baby? Would he leave Regina again because of his honor?

 _What if it was a girl?_

Regina was so confused and insecure. Of course she would understand him again; the baby was his and children are the most important thing in the world. Robin was born to be a father, she knew that….a father he'd never be to a baby conceived by her.

 _Jesus! She needed to get up!_

The past two weeks had been the worst ones. She was not on the mood for anything. She wouldn't let him touch her anymore. Sometimes, she just wanted to rip some hearts out and see if she could get better.

 _She was getting crazy!_

She noticed that tears were freely dropping of her eyes. Since when she had been crying? She was supposed to be happy. She had Robin, she had Henry and now Roland.

 _Did she really have him?_

Slowly, she tried to get up without waking him. She walked towards the bathroom and splashed the water on her face in a tentative to expulse her demons. The sun was beginning to show its lights and she decided to go to work, to occupy her mind with the idiots' city's issues and try to think about something else.

She got dressed with her mayor clothes as fast as she could because she didn't want to face Robin right now. She didn't want to speak with him with puffy eyes because he'd notice she had been crying.

However, it was too late: as she left the bathroom, there he was, standing right next to her with a confused look.

"Good morning, love. You're up early" He came close to her, kissed her cheek and held her by her waist, staring at her.

He was waiting for an answer and Regina froze. She couldn't face him right now, she was vulnerable, insecure and angry. She couldn't tell him the truth. Or could she?

 _Come on, Regina! Answer him!_

"Morning. I just have a lot of things to deal with in the town hall." She tried to sound as firm as she could. He nodded, but didn't buy her excuses.

"But it's 6 in the morning! The sun has not risen yet!" He replied with a confused look and put a lock of hair behind her ear.

"What is it?" He leaned his head and stared directly at her eyes.

Regina felt a burning sensation was beginning to sting at the corner of her eyes again. She couldn't cry in front of him because if she did that, he wouldn't let her go without an explanation. She would have to explain things to him and she had no conditions for doing that right now. So, she remained in silence, trying to stand strong and blinking away the unshed tears.

"Have you been crying, Regina?" He completed and looked directly at her, blue eyes meeting brow.

She couldn't convince him with her excuses and she had to try another approach. She took a deep breath and concentrated on her next action. She looked at him, opened her mouth but nothing came. So…. she kissed him.

 _That was good! That will be enough!_

They ended their kiss and slowly, Regina took his arms off around her softly and walked in silence on the room to catch her purse.

 _It worked!_ She thought with herself.

But before she could leave the room, he stopped her again.

"Regina, tell me, please! What's wrong?" He asked her as he hugged her from behind and deposited soft kisses on her neck.

"And don't kiss me again because I know you just want to shut me up!" He added.

 _Dammit! He knew her._

Of course he'd know she was weird. That soulmate's crap could do these things to you. You just knww when the other one was lying or hiding something from you.

 _But what could she tell him?_

That was definitely not the right moment, and maybe, there would never be a right one again. Maybe she had missed her chance to tell him everything she was feeling for inside, and now, she couldn't do that to him, because she had said they would face this together. She had to stick to her promise, but for that, she had to get away from this room and away from him as fast as she could.

"Robin, everything is fine. I promise you! I just had a bad time sleeping." She sighed.

"I really have a lot of things to deal with today… and, you know, the sooner I start the sooner I'll finish, right?" She asked turning around to face him with her puppy eyes and irresistible cute face.

"Right! But that is not the first time you have a bad time sleeping, Regina. Are you felling alright? Maybe you should go to the doctor and he can recommend some medicines for you. You know I'm not used with these modern things, but David said the doctors in this world can do magic!" He chuckled at her with his damn beautiful dimples.

That was so difficult for her because, despite everything, she loved him. She loved him especially in the mornings, with his hair all messy and sleepy eyes. That's why she was there facing everything quiet and pretending she was alright. She thought if she kept thinking and wishing for everything to be fine, one day that would have to happen. She really wanted everything to be alright, she just wanted to be happy with the man she loved and their sons.

She just loved him and their life together, but did he love her in the same way? She was not sure about that anymore and that was killing her. She wanted desperately to trust him again, but she didn't want words, but actions.

But for now, she'd just appreciate him. Them. Their moments before something bad happened and changed everything again.

"I love you." She said to him with love and fear mixed in her eyes.

"I love you too." He said and kissed her with all his fears of losing her again.

"I'm going to cook our breakfast. Wake up the boys and don't let them fool you again pretending they're sick. It's a school day. They need to get up soon." She said with a smirk on her face.

Then, she was out of the room, leaving a worried Robin behind.

He knew something was wrong with her. He had made a mistake, he knew that, but he didn't know that wicked woman was pretending to be his dead wife. A woman who had killed his real wife and assumed her body and identity.

 _How could he know about that?_

He had made the wrong choice again and maybe that would costs him his happiness. And worst, the happiness of the woman he really loved.

* * *

Her life with Robin was doing fine, until that damn conversation with Zelena. They were trying to adjust into their new routine. Robin wasn't living with her officially, but lately he had been spending almost every night with her. Sometimes, Roland joined them in their movie nights.

Last night they had ordered pizzas and watched some movies with Henry. Roland loved Henry and Henry was kind of a big brother to the little boy. Sometimes Henry was angry at Roland because the boy was kind of stick with him without giving a break, but they were along.

Regina loved their morning routine when all of them were in her house. It was a mess now and then, a lot of screaming and "mom", "stop", "Roland", "Henry" and "nooo", but she had never felt her house so warm and a real "home" as now.

She started to cook their breakfast and after a few minutes, she could hear usual complaining coming from upstairs. Good, Robin had woken up the boys, or at least he was trying to. She smiled and shook her head.

 _What the hell was she thinking this morning? Was she trying to torture herself?_

She had to stop doing that, hurting herself. As she had learned recently, she was the only one responsible for her happy ending, and she would get it. She only had to talk to Robin, a sincere and final conversation and then they'd be alright.

The breakfast was almost ready and Regina was about to go upstairs to see what was happening.

"Roland, stop throwing a tantrum and come downstairs right now! Do you want me to go up there again?" Robin was in the living room impatient, looking upstairs and waiting for his son.

"I'm not going to school without my monkey!" Roland replied and appeared upstairs in his school's uniform with his arms crossed against his little chest.

Robin took a deep breath and was about to say something to his son when Henry headed downstairs but, before, made a mess on Roland's hair and said:

"Stop been a brat, Roland. Only babies keep carrying plushies around!"

"I'm not a baby!" Roland replied but followed Henry downstairs.

 _Well done_! Thought Robin with a smirk on his face.

Robin entered the kitchen, hugged Regina from behind and kissed her cheek.

"Do you need some help?" He said as he filled a cup of coffee for him.

"Just put the plates on the table, please. What's wrong with Roland?" She asked.

"Good morning, mom. Good morning, Robin." Before Robin could answer, Henry greeted them as he entered the kitchen and sat on a chair, followed by a sulky Roland who said nothing, just stayed at the threshold with his arms crossed.

"Roland, did you sleep with Regina?" Robin asked as he saw that his son did not greet her good morning.

"No, you did!" Roland said with an innocent face making Robin come red in one second as he almost splashed the coffee out of his mouth. Regina turned around and couldn't control her laughing, leaving a confused Roland.

"I can't wait to see your face when he starts to ask about how people make babies!" Henry said teasing Robin.

"Henry, eat your pancakes, honey!" Regina said firmly, with a warning tone to her voice.

Robin walked around the table, sitting right next to Henry and gently touched his shoulder.

"Well, in that case, I think you'd be the perfect one to explain it to him, right?" Now Robin was teasing and Henry just rolled his eyes.

"Roland, come and sit, honey. I made chocolate pancakes, don't you want some?" Regina asked Roland who was still standing close to the door.

"I'm not eating and I'm not going to school!" The little boy replied.

"What happened, sweetheart?" Regina approached him and kneeled in front of him.

"I can't find my monkey!" He said with tears in his eyes.

"Oh… I know where your monkey is." She tried to explain to him.

"Really?" He widened his eyes and a little smile came to his face.

"Yes, but I'm afraid he's not going to school with you today. I washed him up!" She clarified to him.

"Why? Go get him to me then!" The little boy frowned to her.

"Roland! Don't talk to Regina like that, and she is not your maid"! Robin warned him with a serious tone.

"Honey, he was really dirty. I had to wash him and he is not dry yet but tomorrow you can have him, ok?" Regina said with a soft voice and caressed his cheek.

"Right. I'm sorry!" Roland sadly replied and Regina hugged him.

"It's ok, baby. Let's have breakfast now or else you'll be late for school today."

"I don't know why you keep spoiling him like that. When I was at his age you never let me do everything I wanted." Henry said.

"First of all, I was the Evil Queen. Second, I really did a lot of things you wanted me to do but you were really stubborn. And I'm sure you can't remember many things from when you were his age, Henry." And Regina completed, teasing him:

"But _I_ can remember that you had a doll that you kept carrying around everywhere you went." Now she was wickedly smiling at him.

Henry widened his eyes and he defended himself.

"You're just trying to embarrass me, mom. I don't remember having a doll."

"Really? I'm sure I have her kept safe in my closet".

"Don't worry, my boy. I used to have tea with imaginary friends when I was young." Robin tried to help Henry.

"So, you are not Robin Hood but the Mad Hatter? Did you talk with rabbits too, Robin?" Regina couldn't control herself anymore and even Roland started to laugh freely.

"It's not funny, milady." He point that out, but was smiling too.

Regina looked around the table, seeing them all eating and laughing and she couldn't stop the tears coming to her eyes. They were becoming her family and she had never had this in her life. The feeling was so good and she couldn't believe she had that right now. She couldn't believe the Evil Queen could be that happy in her life. She took the image in, trying to memorize the moment. She realized that the life she was having now was her happy ending and she wouldn't let anyone or anything take it away from her. Not even herself.

She only needed to believe him again, in his feeling for her. She needed to be sure he really loved her, and of course, she needed to forget about Zelena's words. The past was supposed to stay in the past. Since she had agreed to move on with him and face the situation together, she had to forget about that. She would talk to Robin as soon as she could and let him know about her feelings and insecurities. He deserved to know and she deserved to talk, and then, they would build their lives together.

* * *

Robin was still learning about the modern stuffs of this world, but there was one thing he was pretty good at: driving. He loved to be behind a wheel. He loved cars. Henry and he had spent almost two months fixing an old car that Regina kept in her garage. Of course they counted on some mechanical's help and internet searches, but Robin had the ability of fix those machines.

The _old klunker_ , as Henry called it, was now running on Storybrooke streets. Of course that _thing_ they called _their car_ still needed some repairs, some painting, some details as the rearview, the passenger's window handle…. But it was perfect. The car was perfect for them. Henry loved to drive it and Robin always let him, without Regina knowing, of course. They had this pact not to tell Regina that Henry was driving the car but the boy was pretty good at it. Actually, Henry had taught to Robin a lot of things about driving… like starting the car. So, they were proud about their accomplishment. The car was running, wasn't it? That was enough for them!

But had not been easy repairing the car, especially because of Regina. Let's say she was not amused about that. Particularly the greasy hands on her refrigerator, the dust on her back-yard and the traces of oil on her porch. Oh, not mention their dirty clothes. And of course Roland always _helped_ them. In fact, it almost drove her crazy!

Robin could remember one day he and the boys had made a pretty awful mess in her garage. He had thought that in that day Regina would kill him for sure.

* * *

 _ **** FlashBack On ****_

Robin became desperate when he saw the situation of the boys' clothes. Regina would kill him, without a doubt. He analyzed the situation and had the amazing idea of washing their clothes.

 _Brilliant!_

He would wash everything and when Regina got home, the clothes would be already dry.

 _Excellent, Robin!_

He set his plan in action: he told Henry to help Roland with the shower and put the clothes in the washing machine.

 _Jesus! Why so many buttons on this damn thing?_

However, he could read the labels, he had lived in the forest for almost his whole life but he wasn't that ignorant. He did exactly as the instructions said and turned on the machine.

 _Wait! What about the soap?_ _He had to put the soap, right?_

Too much buttons, too much labels for washing some clothes? Where would he supposed to put the soap? Too many compartments and Robin was lost.

 _He was stupid! Yes, he was._

He almost grabbed all the clothes and went to some river to wash them. He really hated that stupid machine. But, no… now it was an affair of honor and he would do the task properly.

He saw a box labelled _washing powder_ and silent celebrated it. He opened the machine's cover and put some of that thing inside of it, not caring about the right compartment.

 _Now, how much of this thing he should put on it?_

Well, Regina always said she liked everything perfectly clean, so he didn't saved it; he put the whole box's content on the machine and when he was about to close the cover…

"ROBIN!" Henry screamed from upstairs.

Immediately, Robin made his way to boys, maybe something bad was going on with them. When he arrived in the bathroom, he almost cried. Instantly, he put one of his hand on his forehead and kept rubbing.

 _All that had been a bad idea._

"That's ok! We can fix it!" Robin said when he saw the desperate face of Henry.

"How? My mom's bathtub is black, Robin! Black! Full of grease and I can't take this off! Soap is not working and the more I rub, the more it's spreading around. Look at Roland's face!" Henry was almost screaming now.

"Do you think she would notice it?" Robin didn't know what he was talking about anymore.

 _Of course Regina would notice, your idiot._

Henry just shook his head.

"We are screwed!" He whispered.

"Yeah, daddy! We're screwedddd!" Said Roland, still naked and sitting inside of the bathtub. Robin only could see his eyes behind the all grease spreading around his face and his hair. If that was not a desperate situation, Robin could laugh about it.

He took another look and shook his head.

 _Jesus! Roland's face was really black!_

He had to act, and act fast. In one hour, Regina was coming home and God helps him if he didn't fix that mess before she arrived there.

"Alright, I'll go to the garage and try to find something to clean this grease. You two just wait here. Don't make a move, unless you two want to spread this on the whole room."

Robin came back a few minutes later with bottles of varnish remover and thinner.

"Ok! Henry, you try to clean up the bathtub while I'm trying to clean up Roland." Henry nodded and they started their jobs.

"Daddy, this thing stinks!" Roland complained as Robin started to remove the grease from his face.

"I know my boy, but I can't even see your face through all this grease. So, you'll have to hang on!"

One hour passed and they had done a pretty good job with the grease. Regina's bathtub was white again and Roland was a bit of red, but clean.

Now, they were all watching TV and pretending nothing happened. They warned Roland not to tell Regina the truth, saying this was their boy's secret game.

On time, Regina entered the house, making the boys froze and looking at Robin. He just gave them a comforting look, which implied everything was alright.

"Good night, Regina." Roland said and ran to her.

"Good night, sweet heart." Regina said hugging him.

She stopped and twitched her nose, smelling Roland's hair.

"Honey, what is this heavy smell on your hair?" She was sniffling his hair, trying to figure out what was that weird scent.

Henry looked directly at Robin with a panic face. He cleared his throat and made his way to Regina, giving her a kiss.

"Hi, my love. How was your day?" Robin greeted her, trying to change the subject.

"Very tiring! What happened with Roland? Why does he smell funny?" Regina was not the kind of woman that dropped things easily.

"I'm not sensing any smell, Regina! Are you, Henry?" Robin said and pretended to smell Roland's hair.

Henry just nodded and diverted his look back to the TV.

"Ok, I'm letting it pass and pretending that I'm buying that." She said with a knowing look towards them. She knew the boys had done something wrong but she was too tired to start a fight with them.

"I'm going to the kitchen to start dinner. Can you watch things for me while I take a shower, Robin? I just want to lie down for a bit in my bathtub." Regina said, leaving Henry with widened eyes.

"Of course, love." Robin cleared his throat before answer and nodded.

"I'm putting some water on the fire for the spaghetti." Regina said and made her way to the kitchen.

Robin sat close to Henry and said:

"See? She'll never know."

"ROBIN OF LOCKSLEY!"

They froze, listening Regina's screams from the kitchen.

 _So now what? There wasn't grease on the kitchen, was it?_

Immediately, Robin made his way to the kitchen and stopped dead on his tracks when he saw the picture: Regina was with a hand on her hip, angry eyes and bubbles were flying away around the entire place.

Then, he remembered that maybe, just maybe, he may have done something wrong with that damn machine. Maybe it was too much soap? He had completely forgotten about that stupid thing. He definitely couldn't manage that.

Taking a look on the image, he chuckled.

"Is this funny, Robin? What the hell did you do?" Regina exclaimed and waved her hand through the air.

"Hun…" He cleared this throat and scrubbed a hand over his mouth, trying to hide his laugh.

"Hun, what?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Think on the bright side, now you don't have to lie down in your bathtub to enjoy the bubbles!" He chuckled shyly.

Regina screwed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to prevent herself from killing him.

 _ **** Flashback Off ****_

* * *

There had been a lot of mess during the repair of the car and that scene had been just one of the several embarrassing and desperate situations they've gone though. But now, he was proud about their work, he was driving their car that they fixed. Almost every morning he got to ride with the boys for school and that was their time to talk and have some fun.

Robin pulled over the car when they arrived at school.

"Bye, boys. Be nice!" He said.

"Robin, what's going on with my mom? Did you guys fight?" Henry asked him after he got off of the car, supporting his elbows on the passenger's opened window which was opened, by the way, because that window never closed properly. They still had to fix that too.

"No, we didn't fight. I don't know what's wrong with her, but I'm almost sure is related to the Zelena's pregnancy. I'm giving her some space, but I'm talking to her soon and we're resolving all that. Don't worry." Robin said trying to comfort Henry.

"Ok, just… don't hurt her." And before Robin could answer, Henry completed:

"I really like our lives now. I enjoy Roland and you being in our house. I just want things to continue like that." Henry finished.

"They will, Henry. I'm talking to her soon, I promise you."

Henry nodded, grabbed Roland's little hand, told their goodbyes and made their way to the school' gates.

Robin eyes were full of unshed tears, he was mesmerized with the image. He not only had Regina in his life, but he and his son had Henry too, and together, they'd start a family.

Sometimes, like this morning, he felt he was losing Regina. He could see she was different. At the beginning, she was doing fine but these last few weeks she had been pushing him aside. He had decided to give her some space, knowing it was a really complicated situation, but he couldn't lose the life he was living now. And he wouldn't.

He loved Regina and their boys. He loved that life. He wouldn't give up on that, he would fight for Regina, for them. And then, they'd be together as a family.

But truth to be told, they already were family.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, guys.**

 **Here is the chapter 2.**

 **I always loved Regina and Snow friendship, so I tried to write a conversation between them. This friendship is the best one, the one that makes more sense for me.**

 **And more important: this is the first time I'm writing a sex scene! So, take it easy! hahahaha**

 **I hope u enjoy! *-***

 **CHAPTER 2**

Regina was walking by the Storybrooke streets. Everything was the same but at the same time, was different. People were waving at her. Wait? Did that grumpy dwarf greet her? Oh man, this was weird!

She took a deep breath and smiled at people. This was really new for her, people accepting her for what she was. She was just…. normal. They were starting to see her as… Regina. She was HERSELF. And this was refreshing. She was happy, she was really happy. That Evil Queen label which had been hunting her since always, was not there anymore. She had a town (which she created by angry and revenge) accepting her, despite all her cruelties, murders and mistakes.

But why? Why was she feeling so confused? Oh, right! Her soulmate. The man she loved, the man she fought for, the man who was in her bed every single night, the man who was there in that damn alternative universe by her side in the moment of her death. it was him! It's him!

Of course she didn't want a perfect life because that doesn't exist (especially for the Evil Queen) but she just wanted to be sure. Wich she wasn't. She wanted to be sure that the life she was having now was something permanent. She wanted to trust him again. Trust that he wouldn't leave her in case something happened and he had to choose his honor over her again. And just the thought of this was hurting Regina a lot.

That was why she hadn't accept his invitation for lunch today. She did the same the past few weeks too. She made up some excuse and said she didn't have time for lunch, that she was just ordering something from Granny's and eating at her office. True to be told, she didn't want to be alone with him before she knew exactly what she was going to say to him. Not before she could feel safe and free with him again.

That was why she had tried to spend every night with him and their boys. She really enjoyed that kind of evenings. Movies, popcorns, candy, a lot of laughs and simple conversations. It was easy when the boys were around. She could use this excuse for not to talk to Robin in the way they should, about how she was really feeling. She was avoiding him. She was pushing him away because she wasn't feeling enterily confortable with him anymore.

 _This was Zelena's fault! Or it was his fault?_

She didn't know. She could remember their relationship before all this mess had happened. Maybe because she still didn't know the whole truth. Or maybe because she didn't want to know. Before, they had an incredible sex and health routine. Every single night. Sometimes, even at daylight. They didn't care, because they had spent a lot of time apart from each other. Since they met, they had this strong and unique connection. It was like electricity. There was no right place nor right time. They had this need for each other. They had to feel each other, to touch each other like there were no tomorrow.

 ** _** FlashBack On **_**

"I brought you lunch." Robin said as he entered her office.

She lifted her head and smiled, as soon as she felt his strong scent invading her ears. She knew he was coming; despite of their busy days, they always arranged time to have lunch together. And today, she was really waiting for him.

"What?" He asked her with curiosity after circling his arms around her waist and kissing her.

"Nothing!" She said, holding him by his neck and kissing him again, this time with more passion.

"What are you up to?" He was trying to contain his smile.

"I know this look, Regina!" He wanted to play her game but he knew exactly what she wanted.

"What look?" Regina approached him slowly until their faces were inches away, their eyes deeply locked and she captured his lower lip between her teeth making him moan.

"I thought we'd have some lunch!" He frowned playfully at her.

"Oh, you are. But today, let's skip to dessert first!" She was now playing with the buttons of his shirt. And slowly, she let one hand run down between their bodies until she reached his belt. She looked at him biting her lip and suddenly, she grabbed his cock over his pants and started to caress it softly.

"Milady, what are you suggesting?" He said this already moaning and couldn't keep with her little game anymore.

He grabbed her arse and rubbed his bulge on her, making her sure that he was up to her game or whatever she was planning to do with him. Regina moaned and kissed him passionately.

"Wait!" She placed a finger on his mouth interrupting their moment.

Regina stepped back and before Robin could complain, she stood in front of him and with a flick of her wrists, she was in nothing but a red lace corset, a very tiny panties and black high heels. She reached for her desk and sat down on with open legs as invitation for him.

His vision had blurred from the sign in front of him. He took a moment to watch her, to admire her. Red hugging her curves, caressing the lines of her body. Red barely covering the curve of her perfect breasts. Red trying to hide her erect nipples. Red painting on her lips. He took a moment to watch her, to admire her. She was a vision.

"You're perfect." He whispered.

It was the only thing he managed to say before reaching her in one fast and large step, staying between her parted legs, caressing them softly. And then, he kissed her, pulling her to him, his lips devouring hers. His mouth moved down to her neck and he sucked and bit every exposed flesh he found on the way. Today, he would mark her as his own. He wrapped one hand around her waist and his fingers were teasing the lace of her panties.

He moaned when he felt her nails travelling up and down his abdomen. He even didn't realize that she had taken his shirt off. But she had and her tongue was playing with his earlobe, sucking and licking. Their lips met again and again on a hungry battle for dominance. Her hands were on his back, his shoulder, his bare chest, scratching his skin without pity. Then, she started to work with his belt, pushing his pants, sliding them down his hips until they fell to the floor.

He gripped her ass hard, putting her closer, while one of his hands reached for her soft hair. _God!_ How much he loved her hair and he couldn't resist: he interlaced his fingers through her hair and pulled back a little hard. Regina gasped but smirked at him.

 _So she liked that!_

They kissed over and over and for Regina's surprise, he was able to remove her corset easily. He was never good at these things. She smirked at him, with only her little lacy and red panties and heels. But his look was serious, his eyes were darker with lust and desire for her, and she loved causing this sensation on him. He loved has this power.

He cupped both her breasts firmly and immediately attacked one nipple with his lips, kissing and sucking it. She cried out and threw her head back as he sucked harder her nipple in his mouth. He performed the same action on her other nipple.

He couldn't wait anymore, he wanted to taste her, feel her in his mouth. He brought his hand to her hips until he could grip her thighs and hoisted her upward on her desk. She parted her legs giving him space to stay between them. He leaned on top of her, kissing her hungrily while one hand travelled to her stomach and down, down, until he could feel her wetness through her lacy underwear. He kept his hand there and started to rub his thumb over her clit. Regina was moaning and throwing her head back, so he took advantage of that and sucked the skin of her neck.

"Robin…" She whispered and he got the message. He started to trace wet kisses down her body, between the valley of her breast, cupping and joining them with one hand and squeezing, while his mouth continued down the path to where she was needing him most. Goosebumps erupted on her skin and her body trembled and shuddered at the touch of his mouth.

He stood and slid her panties, pulling them off. Robin grabbed her hips fiercely and pulled her body forward, bringing her to the edge of her desk and draping her thighs over his shoulder. Then, his mouth was at her entrance, teasing her, licking her wet folds and humming in appreciation of her savor, causing her gasps and moans to grow louder.

Grabbing his hair, she forced his mouth on her clit. He chuckled but started gliding his tongue all over where she was needing it; circling, flicking his tongue on her sex. She gave a low cry when he sucked her clit more firmly, scrubbing his teeth softly against it. That's when he inserted two fingers on her. He did pivot his hand, back and forth, in and out, curling his fingers until she was arching her back off the desk.

Her hands dropped from his hair and grabbed the edge of her desk and he knew she was close. So he replaced his fingers and pushed his tongue inside her fiercely, while he stimulated her right spot on her clit with his fingers. He kept doing this, intercalating with circular movements and a low pressure. In and out, in and out, in and out. His mouth was circling, sucking, licking, as his fingers didn't stop from keeping friction on her clit. Repeating his movements again and again and again, until he saw her hips witching. He could feel her clenching, tightening around his mouth. She was humming incoherent and undescribed words that he couldn't understand. He loved to see her like this, falling apart for him.

"Come for me, my love." He said and he could feel her legs trembling on his shoulders.

He pressured his thumb more firmly on the sensitive spot of her sex, while his tongue was still working inside of her in a faster pace. A build of heat began to invading her, making her shiver. In and out, harder, faster. And then, Regina exploded, crying his name, as she came hard on his mouth.

When she came to her sense, she looked up and saw him caressing her cheeks, looking at her with his beautiful dimpled smile. She widened her eyes, stood up to a sitting position, trying to get her sense back.

\- "Hey there!" He hold her head, caressing her pink cheeks and kissed her softly. She could feel his still hard member under his boxers touching her inner thighs.

"Hum…" She broke the kiss and looked down.

"I think you have a problem right here." She said, caressing his member over his boxers and he moaned. She was still dizzy, her body was still having little spasms but she wanted to feel him inside of her.

"I need you inside of me!" She whispered in his ear, causing shivers over him.

He couldn't wait anymore, he wanted to be inside of her. He pulled her to him and kissed her hard. He turned her back to him and sucked the sensitive spot of her neck. She arched her neck, giving him a better access and started to rub her perfect arse against his hard cock. His boxers tightened even more, if this were possible.

He knew she was teasing him because she was aware about his obsession for her ass. After all, he was "taking care" of her ass since their time on Enchanted Forest. Since that time, he had dreamed about squeezing hard her damn ass and now he had this opportunity. So he didn't waste his time. While he was sucking the warm and soft skin of her neck, he grabbed her royal ass with both hands and squeezed, making her moan and arching her hips even more for him. The sensation was inexplicable. He could take her from behind right now. He could bury his hard cock into her wetness from behind without pity.

 _Did she know how hot she was right now?_

She was swaying her hips back and forth, up and down, rubbing her arse against his cock every time she did this. She kept doing this and supported her elbows on the desk, bending her ass to him. Her column arched and she looked at him over her shoulder and bit her glorious red lips.

 _Was she bending her perfect arse over his cock and thinking this was funny?_

 _Jesus! He was insane, out of his mind!_

\- "You really love my ass, don't you thief?" She teased him over her shoulder, while she kept dancing her fucking ass over his hard length.

 _God! She'll be the death of him!_

He groaned and held her tight by the waist with one hand, while he led his other hand to her sex and teased her entrance with his fingers.

"God! You're fucking wet, Your Majesty!" He murmured in her ears and grabbed her hair, pushing harder, as he took his cock out of his boxers and buried it deep inside her.

 _Fuck!_

She exclaimed when she felt his hardness filling her folds completely from behind with one fast stroke.

He squeezed her hips and ran his fingers along her back. He got lost on the curves of her body. She was the most beautiful woman he had saw in his life but from behind….

 _Jesus!_

He grabbed her hips and started to fuck her slowly, increasing his pace in each thrust. Her hips were twitching and she was moaning. He leaned over her, pressing his chest against her back. She groaned louder at this new posistion, and he sucked the spot behind her ear he knew it'd drive her crazy.

He whispered _I love you_ in her ear, licking and nipping along her neck and shoulder, never relenting the continuous thrusting in and out of her. Robin was losing control! He started to fuck her harder, faster. The burn inside his belly was building and swirling wildly as his balls begged to release but he wanted her to come one more time. So he started do rub circles over her clit, making her moans increased.

Regina grabbed the edges of the desk hard and tossed her head back. Her knuckles were white. She was still sore for their previous activities but the sensation of him filling her from behind was driving her insane. Her thighs began to shake. She couldn't help but rocking her hips back, meeting every thrust of him.

She was on fire! She tried to tell him she was coming but the words wouldn't leave her mouth. She wanted to scream, release the burn sensation that was washing her whole body but her mouth was dry, her lips were trembling. Weird cries were leaving her mouth and they became frenetic and louder, as he kept rubbing her clit and filling her hard. The pleasure inside her was increasing as never before and she couldn't stop shaking.

"Let it go for me!" He whispered as he felt her tightening around his cock. He knew she was about to come and he couldn't wait anymore.

Their groans and moans were echoing off in Regina's office. The sweat of their bodies mixed. They need their release. _Now!_

Then, Regina reached her climax as never before, crying his name. He followed her, groaning her name in her ear as he spilled his seed inside of her.

They remained in silence for God knows how long, trying to catch their breath and slow down their heart beats.

"You came pretty hard, milady!" He chuckled and turned her around.

"Shut up!" She said, but blushing and not making eye contact.

"Really? Is that what I get for making you come hard like that?" He said, and put a lock of hair behind her ear.

He seemed to be really proud of his deed. She knew he loved when she came hard like this.

"You really enjoy this, don't you?"

"Of course, your Majesty! It was my pleasure to pleasuring you!" He kissed her softly and started to look around, trying to find his clothes.

"What are you doing?" She frowned.

"My lunch break is over, my love" He said and pointed at the wall clock.

"But we even had lunch!" She complained.

"Oh, I certainly had!" He joked and gave her his mischievous grin, while he put his clothes on.

"You're an ass!" She said, rolling her eyes but couldn't hide her smile.

"No, you are!" He came close to her and squeezed her arse again.

"I love you." He kissed her forehead.

"I love you too." She whispered.

"See you at dinner?"

"Yes, but you're going to eat this time… _real food!_ " She said, tilting up an eyebrow and emprasing her last words.

"Of course we are!" He winked at her and made his way out the office.

Regina shook her head and closed her eyes as she saw the doors closing behind him, but she couldn't hide the satisfied and silly smile on her face.

 ** _** FlashBack Off**_**

Regina wet her dry lips and smiled softly at the recollection of that day. She missed him badly. She missed his touches and his heated kisses on her inner thighs. The way he moved his mouth inside of her making her come hard, the way he…

 _Stop, Regina! You're in the middle of the streets with your panties already wet!_

Regina shook her head and tried to concentrate in something else. _Great!_ She wasn't having sex with him but she couldn't stop thinking about having sex with him.

This was a mess! But everything was fine before her wicked sister threw some truths in her face.

Sometimes, ignorance is a blessing!

Now, Regina couldn't do this anymore. She had a few sex partners in her life, but with Robin it was different. It was something more. They didn't have sex, they made love. And between sex and love there's a huge abysm. She could see the difference now. She could _feel_ the difference. And if Regina wasn't able to make love to him, to give herself entirely, she wouldn't do anything. So she was avoiding him for as long as she could. No matter how hard she was thinking about this, even in the daylight, in the middle of the streets, she couldn't do it before she was certain about his feelings towards her.

Not that she hadn't tried to do it with him anymore, because she did! She tried to concentrate in something else while they were in the bed during foreplay, but she couldn't carry on. She always stopped him when the thoughts invaded her mind. Sometimes when he touched her, she started to think about him touching her sister and banging her. Othertimes, she felt really sick, she had to get up hastily from the bed, making her way to the bathroom and throw up. So she decided not to have sex with him. She would wait.

 _Man!_ _This was really affecting her psychologically, and now, physically as well._

She knew Robin was always worried, he always went after her and helped with her hair. She always had the same excuse that this was supposed to be a stomach bug. Actually it was a bug - a _green wicked bug_. And she always promised him that she was going to the doctor and run some tests, but of course it wasn't her stomach. She knew it. In fact, Regina couldn't eat normally anymore due to stress. Was she depressive? Or was she just making a bigger deal about this? She couldn't tell.

One thing Regina knew was sure... she couldn't deal with this situation alone anymore. She was getting sick. This was affecting her badly. She was even losing her temper with the boys sometimes. Henry was the first one to notice it. He always asked her about what was happening and she always said everything was fine and immediately changed the subject. But she knew he wasn't buying it, he was her son, after all. But he never pressed her. He was a great boy, allowing her some space and she was thankful for it.

She entered Granny's not expecting to have a chat with anybody. She was not on the mood. She was only there to grab her lunch and get away as fast as she could.

"Good morning, Regina! The same for lunch, I suppose?" Granny asked her with a smirk on her face.

"Yes, to go!" Regina said gruffly.

"I can see you're not on the mood!" Granny asked her with a smirk on her face.

"Listen, I am not here for jokes today! Just bring my order!" Regina put her hands on the balcony and lowered her head. She didn't want to start a conversation or a fight with anyone.

"Tough day, huh? Anyway, I'm bringing your luch." Granny said and turned around.

Regina just want to grab her lunch and get away from there but it seemed the universe had another plan for her.

She just screwed her eyes shut when she felt strong arms hugging her waist from behind. Him. The last person she wanted to see right now.

"I can see you had found some time for lunch." He said, kissing the side of her head.

Regina gulped, took a deep breath before turn around.

"Hi! I'm just passing by and taking something to eat in my office." She said, wetting her lips.

"Alright, I'm coming with you! It's my lunch break too!" Robin was doing everything he could to spend some time with her, even knowing she was doing everything to avoid him.

"No!" She answered automatically and coldly.

"No? Why?" His eyes were full of concern. He could see she was different with him but hearing her talking like this, it was like a knife to his heart.

"I don't have time. I have a lot of things to do." She answered bluntly.

He kept staring at her, feeling really uncomfortable. He removed his hands from her waist slowly and shoved in his pockets.

"Of course. Have a nice lunch." He smiled sadly, kissed her cheek and turned to walk away from her.

Regina froze. Why was she doing this with him? He was giving her space, he had been understandable and she was bitching around every time he tried to get close to her?

"Robin!" She reached his arms and he turned around. She could see the pain in his eyes and she had caused this. So, she had to fix it.

"I'm so sorry. This is not a good day for me." She said and released a breath she didn't know she was holding it.

"I understand." He replied.

"I guess I have 10 minutes to have lunch with you. I mean, if you still want to!" She arched her right brow and bit her lower lip. She seemed like a naughty child that made some mess in her room.

"Let's have lunch together then!" He couldn't resist on that face. He gave her a sincere smile, interlaced their fingers and kissed her lips softly.

* * *

Their luch was fine, very silent but nothing awkward. Of course it not had been as their past lunches, because at that times, they didn't have luch at all. But it had been pleasant.

Now Regina was in her office, trying very hard to concentrate on her work. Her desk was full of papers; she shook her head in an attempt to focus on her work, but she knew it was a lost cause. Regina had not been lying when she said to Robin that she had a lot of things to deal with in the city hall. The place was a mess thanks to Snow White. How can't that girl do anything right? In one month, she left one year's worth of work for Regina to do. Boring paperwork, job contracts, houses contracts, late payments… _Dear God_! It would never end.

But it was fine, at least, Regina would be busy for the rest of the day. She wouldn't think about… She shook her head and tried to bury the thought deep into her subconscious.

"Hi, Regina! I can see you're really busy today! Is there something I can help you with?" Snow interrupted her thoughts and walked into her office with a smile on her face.

Oh no… Snow White! The last person Regina was expecting to deal with today. She just rolled her eyes and gave a little scoff.

"I can see you're busy, huh?" Snow said.

"Yes, thanks to you, Mary Margaret"! Regina said sarcastically turning her gaze away from the paper work.

"Oh, you know, I did my best keeping the important things for you." Snow replied, mimicking Regina's attitude.

"What are you doing here, Snow? As you can see, I have a lot of work to do. Work that _you_ were not capable of dealing with." Regina eyed her carefully as Snow let out a chuckle and sat down on a chair that was positioned right in front of the desk.

Regina couldn't believe it! She was trying hard to concentrate in her work, she just wanted to be alone. Alone with her own business. Alone with her thoughts. But, she couldn't. Snow White would haunt her for the rest of her life with that old speech about hope and love. _Man_! Regina was definitely not on the mood for this! So she ignored the younger woman who was observing her carefully.

"I can see you're upset! And when I did offered my help, I was not referring to the paperwork. I'm really bad at these things!"

"Really?! At least you admit it!" Regina said with a smirk on her face and pointing a finger at Snow.

Snow just smiled, nodding her head in affirmative.

"I'm serious, Regina. I can see something is troubling you. I've been seeing this for some time now. I was expecting that you would come after me for a talk, but you haven't! So here I am!"

"You can't be serious! Did you really think I would go after you for a little chat and talk about my problems?" Regina did scoff.

"So, there are problems then!" Snow replied and arched one brow.

"I didn't say that!" Regina said and lowered her head, pretending to search for some documents.

"Do you want to talk about this?" Snow asked her with a worried face.

No answer.

"Regina, you know you can trust me!" Snow added quietly.

Regina faced her with a little scoff.

"Seriously, Regina. I thought we were over that. I was a child, you know that. And your mother was a bitch!" Snow said, leaning back into the chair.

"Oh! So, besides bothering me, now you're offending my mother?"

"It was not my intention, I'm sorry!" Snow said, regretting her words.

"Relax, Snow. She was indeed a bitch!" Regina said, putting some lightness to their conversation.

"And no, it was not your fault. After that weird alternative universe, I could understand how it is to be blamed for something you didn't have the intention to cause. We are fine!" Regina added softly.

"Good. So, since we are fine, you can talk about, you know, some things with me." Snow said.

"I'm not following you, Snow."

"Of course you are! Don't try to lie to me, Regina. We've known each other since I was a little girl. I know you. You can like this or not, but I do know you and I know when something is troubling you." Snow put her hands above Regina's in a sign of comfort.

"You don't give up, do you? What do I have to do for you get away from here?" Regina sighed.

"Tell me what's wrong." Snow was being really persistent.

Snow knew Regina, and in fact, she loved her. Their relationship was complicated but they had this connection. She knew that, despite Regina's sassy and bitter ways, she was just an incomprehended and lonely woman, that could love or hate deeply. Snow knew that Regina married her father without loving him, that she had been forced to do this by Cora. She knew her father didn't love Regina either. It was an arrenged marriage. She knew that, even with no intention, she had ruined Regina's life. However she felt no pity for her, but compassion. And with time, she learned that Regina was one of the most important people in her life. And if Regina wasn't happy, Snow couldn't be happy either.

"Regina, I know something is going on inside of you. I can feel it. Tell me what it is, please!" Snow begged her.

"No!" Regina shortly answered and pretended to be busy with her work again.

Snow could see Regina was holding back tears it broke her heart. Regina was a tough woman but Snow was more persistent than anything. She came into her office to talk to her, to have a real conversation and she wouldn't leave without archieving her goal.

"So, you're going to keep up with this game of pretending that everything is alright? That's ok! You might fool Robin and Henry about this, but not me. Actually, I don't think you're deceiving them anymore. Robin told David you're different!"

"So, now Robin is babbling with strangers about our problems? Great! This is just… great!" Regina couldn't believe that Robin was talking about this with David. She will kill him!

"David is his friend and you know that!"

"What that hell did he tell David? That I'm letting him in need? Well, he deserves that! And he didn't have the right to talk about this to anyone! Not even to his _close friend!_ " Regina was yelling now and she continued:

"I can't believe this! Now I have to burn this damn desk"! She mumble to herself. She was outraged and waived her hands through the air desperately, trying to make a fire ball.

Snow immediately stood up with widened eyes.

"Regina, please! Calm down! Let me explain it to you!" Snow begged her.

Regina was snorting. She was very angry and frustrated. How did Robin have the courage to do this? She couldn't believe it! Now the whole town would know about _their sex life_? _Jesus!_ This couldn't get worse!

"Well... I didn't know about t _hat_ , Regina." Snow cleared her throat and added:

"And why would you have to burn this desk?" Snow frowned.

Regina immediately blushed as she noticed that _she_ had been the one bringing up this delicate issue. She stiffened, closed her eyes and made the fireball disappear. Was she so desperate that now she was talking to Snow White about her sex life? She rubbed a hand over her face trying to hide her embarrassment.

 _Really, Regina? Are you losing your freaking mind?_

Snow smiled from the corners of her mouth, understanding Regina's reaction.

"Robin just said to David that you were different, he just wants to know the real cause to help you out." Snow said trying to calm down Regina and she added.

"Regina, he loves you and he is really worried that you don't love him anymore. That was all he told David!" Snow said, trying to assimilate everything Regina had just told her.

Regina bit the inside of her left cheek feeling her face getting red.

 _Damn… you're really stupid, Regina! Really stupid! Maybe you should tell Snow everything!_

 _No!_ _This is Snow White!_

 _The woman who told a secret that cost the life of your first love._

Regina knew it wasn't Snow's fault. Now she knew it. And despite everything, this woman had become her friend. She was there, wasn't she? She was there trying to help.

 _Tell her! Just relieve this heavy burden, Regina!_

Regina didn't know if she could tell Snow about her real feelings, so she didn't say anything.

"Ok. I'm leaving. But if one day you feel that you have to open up with someone, you can count on me. And I know you, Regina. I know you're struggling with a lot of things in your mind these past days. Sometimes, we just have to talk out this things and maybe it helps!" Snow gave a reassuring touch to Regina's hand, got up and turned around heading to the door.

"He didn't fight for me! He just gave up on me!" Regina said these words in a loud and bitter tone, making Snow stop in her tracks and turn around. She faced her stepmother with a confused look but she soon understood who or what Regina was talking about. So, she approached her desk again.

"Regina, he thought he'd never see you again."

"That's the problem, Snow… he just _thought_! He didn't try to come back to me, not even once! Meanwhile I was here like an idiot trying to find that damn author to rewrite my happy ending. And of course, this happy ending included him." Regina closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

Before Snow could say something, Regina opened her mouth and continued:

"He chose to move on, Snow. I know it's not cheating because after he crossed the town line we were not together anymore, but still hurts like hell. And I had hopes that he would try to find a way back to me like I was trying to get him back." Regina took a deep breath, shaking her head and smiling sarcastically.

"How fool was I? Because while I was doing this, he was in New York fucking another woman! And it turns out that this woman is my sister! And now… SHE'S PREGNANT!" Regina yelled the last words making Snow jump.

"Regina…" Snow tried to say something reassuring but it seemed that once she had started to speak about this, she couldn't stop.

"And now what? Am I going to be the aunt of my soulmate's baby? What if Marian was not Zelena? What if I hadn't gone to New York? He would never be back here, Snow. He would be there, living his life with his family and this new baby!" Regina couldn't control the tears in her eyes anymore.

"He didn't even try, Snow. He chose to move on as if nothing had happened between us, like I were some random woman with whom he spent some time because he had nothing better to do, or mainly because he didn't have any other option. Every time he had to choose, he didn't choose me! I'm always his last choice!" Regina finally blurted and let Snow heartbroken.

"Regina, it's not like this. I'm sure he is with you because he loves you!"

"Does he? I'm glad you're sure about this because I'm not!" Regina smiled sadly.

"Did you talk to him? I mean, does he know about all this? About how you're feeling?"

"No! And since I didn't tell him these things back then, I think now I've missed the right timing. I told him we'd face this situation together. I agreed to this. I was trying to be comprehensive and reasonable but I just didn't think these feelings would remain; I thought that, with time, I'd get over all this."

"But after Zelena's words about how he moved on with his new life in only tree days and the way he was with her…" Regina took a deep breath and continued:

"After that it's been worse. Now, every time he says he loves me, I can't believe in his words anymore, Snow. And I know if something happened to Zelena's pregnancy, he'd leave me again! He has his code of honor. He is Robin Hood, the man of honor!" Regina said, not believing her own words.

"And if something happened, he'd be there for her and for his baby. I know it. I just wanted to be happy with him and the boys like we were this morning, like we used to be in the first month he was back here. I didn't want to feel this way but I can't help it!" Regina was shaking, with trembling hands.

"Please, don't say that. Nothing bad will happen. And, Regina, you have to tell him! There's not a right time; the right time is whenever you are capable to say the truth. The truth about your real feelings. You can't continue a relationship with him like this. You can't keep pretending everything is fine, because it is certainly not. And I'm sure that sooner or later he'll notice it!" Snow replied.

"He is already noticing that something is different! I don't know, at the beginning I was doing fine, I was feeling all this but I was handling the situation fine. But in the last few weeks I've been more upset and insecure than ever!"

"It's because these frustrated feelings inside of you have to come out. Tell him, Regina. You'll see…. After that, you'll feel better! Have a final and truthful conversation with him. I'm sure he loves you, Regina. Maybe he was weak for not fighting for you and moving on but I don't think he thought he had another option." Snow squeezed Regina's hands.

"When Robin did have choice, he chose you, didn't he?" Snow questioned her.

"Yes, he did." Regina whispered. But then she replied.

"Snow, Zelena and Robin are connecting in a way that he and I will never be able . I did something bad in my past and there's no way to came back from it. We will never be able to connect like this. I made a mistake and now, I can't fix it! I just… can't! And it's not only because of Robin, but because of me. I won't be able to have any children." Regina said with a heavy look, a single tear dropping from her eyes.

"Anyway, thank you, Snow…really!" She completed trying to end this conversation because she knew she had already gave away to much for Snow.

"Anytime you need." Snow gave a sincere smile to Regina and headed to the door but before she left, she turned around for one last time that day and said:

"And, Regina… I took a potion too, remember?! Just remember that I have Emma and Neal now. See you around!"

"See you, Snow. And thank you!" Snow just nodded and left.

Once alone in her office, Regina gasped in realization of how much Snow really knew her. When did she tell Snow about the potion? Did she figure this out? How? But Regina didn't care, she learned that Snow was a hopeful dreamer, which sometimes really bothered her a lot. But Snow was, above all of this, her oldest friend. _Friend? Yes, friend._ The one who really knew her. And soon or later, Regina would talk to her about this other _problem_ , anyway.

She was going to talk with Robin tonight and resolve all this. So then they could move on together. This was everything Regina needed: she wanted _them_ back. She missed the way they used to be with each other, she wanted to move on with him and their boys.

 _Their boys_ , as Robin used to say. She smiled because she loved the sound of it. She knew how Henry and Robin were close to each other, especially because of that damn car! But she was close to Roland too. She loved her little boy with those lovely dimples smiling at her and spooning with her at the nights when he had nightmares. _Her boy?_ Yes, he was her little boy. _They_ were both their boys. _Theirs_. And she wanted it more than anything in the world. After all, this was her happy ending, wasn't it?


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello, girls.**_

 _ **First, I'd like to thank my friends Monica and Gabi for reviewing this story. You're amazing!**_

 _ **I want to thank for your reviews on last chapter too. There are a lot of questions I can't answer right now…sorry! I don't want to give you spoilers (Hahahaha) but I can assure you that all those questions will be answered on the next chapters; this is only the beginning of the story.**_

 _ **I have seen a lot of you waiting for Robin and Regina conversation. They will have it but first I wanted to write, at least a little, of Robin's pov. The show isn't showing what he is thinking about this mess and I don't want to do the same in this fic. He had done some mistakes but he has feelings too; he was used by Zelena and now she is pregnant, for God's sake! Writers…Show us more of Robin's pov, please! hehehehe**_

 _ **Additionally**_ _ **, this chapter will introduce a new character. I had that planned for a while and can you image my surprise when I saw they're casting an actor to play King Arthur? Yes, this new character is King Arthur and my actor's choice to play him on this fic (hahahaha) is**_ _ **Barry Sloane (he played Aiden Mathis on Revenge TV show).**_

 _ **Just some warnings:**_

 _ **This is an OQ fanfic but I think the way things are happening on the show is not right, that's why I began to write this story. I perfectly understand Robin's situation, I'm not judging him or anything like that. But c'mon… Until when will he make wrong choices, come back to Regina and she'll be alone, waiting for him and understanding everything so easily? Because, my friends, I'm almost sure they won't let OQ alone in the show; I think they'll put Robin in a difficult situation and forced him to choose again, and if this happen, we know what or who he'll choose; his honor lays with the baby, not with Regina….unfortunately.**_

 _ **Many of you have asked me if Regina will have a new love interest on this fic and**_ _ **I can**_ _ **forward:**_ _ **yes, she will. Don't get me wrong and don't give up on reading this fic but I think Robin will fight for Regina only when he feels he is losing her, that she won't be there for him forever. Regina is his second chance, not his second (or last) choice. I promise you that I won't write a lot of stuff about Regina and this guy (I can't…I still have faith in Robin and I still love OQ! Hahahaha), only the necessary to make Robin wake up and fight for her love. Arthur will be like a friend (with some benefits, of course) for her. Regina is pretty, sexy, hot, intelligent, strong, have a big heart and I think it's time for other man to see these things on her and Robin to see that other man can have an interest on her. Robin has to make his final choice, of once for all, and I think this new man can help on that (Let's give Robin a little push! hehehehehe).**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and I promise their conversation will start on next chapter, as some troubles and angst too!**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3**

Robin had been working at the sheriff station since David invited him over one month ago. His job was basically to help with casual things but mainly patrolling the woods. There he was, in the middle of the forest. It had been a quiet period in Storybrooke; no more villains, no dangerous enemies or nothing to disturb this peace.

He was walking through the trees when something catch his attention.

A log.

 _Their log_.

Robin smiled as he remembered their conversation there.

 _Stunning_.

 _You can't steal something that's been given to you._

 _You still own me that drink._

Since then, Robin knew it wasn't her heart that had been stolen, but his. He had never felt this strong feeling for any woman before, not even for Marian. He had been attracted to Regina since the first moment he laid his eyes on her in the Enchanted Forest. She was an infuriating and stubborn woman but he loved that. She challenged him and he always loved to push her buttons. With her was different and powerful; something he couldn't fight against it, even if he wanted to. Maybe that was why they called it as soulmates connection. It was deep; he could feel it, feel her. He knew he had fallen for her, head over heels.

Therefore they had little time to spend together. After this short time of joy and happiness, everything changed; he had hurt his beautiful queen by choosing to stay with Marian. It was not what his heart wanted but it was the right thing to do, the honorable one. _Wasn't it?_ Soon he had figured out that it wasn't. He couldn't live with his honor but without his heart.

Then he went after her and told her about his feelings. That night was the best night of his life. He had made his choice, and it was her. Only with her he could feel his heart beating again.

 _Fuck his damn code!_

He wouldn't be a man of honor if he had chosen to live a lie, even if it was with his wife.

 _Wife?_

Robin chuckled sarcastically.

The destiny had screwed things up again. He had to leave the town, leave her behind. He didn't want to, but if he didn't, his wife would die and this would be his fault. Then he left Storybrooke, leaving her forever. There was no way to come back; he'd never see her again. All this had happened so fast that he was dizzy. He didn't know what he was supposed to say to her; he didn't want to say goodbye but he had to.

 _I…_

 _I know…_

And then it was over. He crossed the town line, leaving her behind, only as a precious memory to keep forever in his mind and his heart. But he had to move on for his son's sake, and he did. At least he had tried to adjust himself into that new life in New York.

He had even deleted her phone number; he was trying to do the right thing for his son and Marian. She helped him in the past and she was an important part of it. She was a nice woman who loved him and he loved her. Of course he still loved her; she was the mother of his son, his wife, his friend. But one thing is to _love_ someone, another thing is to be _in love_ with someone. You can love a lot of people at the same time: your parents, your friends… but to be in love, you only can do it for one person and that person was not Marian.

He had to try and he was trying until everything fell apart again. That woman he was trying so hard to live with wasn't Marian, she was Zelena.

 _Life is a cruel joke!_ Worse than a joke because now that woman was pregnant.

 _Pregnant, for God's sake!_

She's having a baby of his but it wasn't his fault.

 _Or was it?_

He didn't know. If he had known the truth, he'd have never moved on. Never! She had used him, lied to him, pretended to be his wife…she killed his wife! He was so screwed! He didn't feel anything for that despicable woman but now she was pregnant. He couldn't "unpregnate" her, could he? He'd never let that insane woman taking care of this baby.

 _Jesus Christ!_

Despite all this mess, Regina's behavior was killing him most. He knew he had hurt her again. She had said she understood this situation and that they'd face it together. At first, he had almost believed her but now he noticed she was different. Every time he had started a conversation with her, she had avoided it, saying everything was fine. Except he knew it wasn't; but he was giving her space, he didn't want to force her into something uncomfortable. When she is ready to tell him about what she was feeling, he would be more than glad to listen.

"Man, you're late! Was there some trouble in the forest?" David asked him as soon as Robin arrived at the sheriff station.

"Hm?" Robin was still thinking about Regina and their relationship, completely distracted from his surroundings.

"Robin! Wake up!" David yelled at Robin.

"I'm sorry, man. I was lost in my thoughts." Robin apologized.

"Oh, I did notice that. It's about Zelena's pregnancy, isn't it?" David asked him.

"Kind of, I mean…yes, and all implications coming along with that." Robin rubbed a hand over his face.

"It's a difficult situation, really complicated!" David said with comprehensive eyes.

"I don't know how things turned into this mess! A woman that I even know had manipulated me because of her obsessive plan for revenge is now carrying a baby of mine. And if that wasn't enough, she's Regina's sister!" Robin said, pacing back and forth.

"Yeah! This is a mess! What about Regina? How is she handling this?"

"She's a tough and amazing woman. We've decided to face this together but…" Robin interrupted his answer and stared at the floor.

"But what?" David asked him.

"It's just…she is weird lately. I don't know! Sometimes, I think she has changed her mind about facing this situation together but she is afraid to tell me!" Robin answered with a tense voice.

"Every time I had tried to approach her, to have a real conversation with her, she'd shut me out… run away, make up an excuse and says she is fine, that we're fine. I don't want to pressure her or anything like that, I'm giving her space but I can feel she's holding something." He admitted nervously.

"Listen, you know I have a complicated history with Regina. For a long time Snow and I had to run away from her, she almost killed us and I wished her dead several times. But she has changed, I can see it now and I respect her for it. I had never seen Regina happy before and I have to admit that sometimes it scared me." David said and Robin chuckled.

"She is important to Snow and now they're getting along. Regina is helping us against the villains and if you told me this a while ago, I'd never believe you…but here she is, helping us! I never thought I'd admit this, but Snow is right: Regina is family. Anyway, I just want to ask you to not hurt her again…" But Robin tried to interrupt him.

"David…"

"I know, it was not your intention and you didn't have a choice, I understand. I have been in your place before and I've made some mistakes too, I'm not judging you. Just try to talk to her and make her happy." David concluded.

"I will, I promise you! I just don't know how to have this conversation."

"Try a different approach." David suggested.

"A different approach? What do you mean? I have tried everything but nothing's worked and every time she goes check on Zelena, she comes back worse. I don't know what to do but I know I have to do something." Robin was sounding a little desperate.

"Buy some flowers, chocolate, I don't know! Make a surprise for her." David said.

"Regina doesn't like flowers and I think a box of chocolate wouldn't resolve this situation. David, I'm not good at this things, I had lived in the forest my whole life. I don't know how to please a woman in this world." Robin chuckled shyly.

"Take her to dinner in a special place. I don't know, man…You know her and you should know what she likes." David completed.

"Dinner is a great idea since we almost haven't eaten together in the past weeks. She always gets up early, spends her whole day working and comes home too late at night. She is avoiding me, I know." Robin completed with unshed tears in his eyes.

-"See? Take her to dinner with you. Think about some special place."

"Special place? Here in StoryBrooke? I'm not taking her to have dinner on Granny's!"

"Well, I already gave you the idea. Now, is up to you to figure out how you're going to put this plan on motion. Just think about some place fine. A place she'd be comfortable." David said, leaving a thoughtful.

 ** _** FlashBack On **_**

"Come on in, Regina!" Robin said little impatient.

"There's no way I'm going in inside this thing!" Regina scoffed and crossed her arms.

"Your car is on repairs and you have to go to work. Come on, I'm offering you a ride." He was still trying to convince her after a few minutes.

"Thank you, but I prefer to walk."

"Don't be so stubborn! The car is fine, we fixed it." He was sighing loudly and running a hand through his hair.

"Oh, I can see that!" She bit out sarcastically, looking at the car.

"That are only a few details, but the car is fine, I assure you." Robin said and gave a softly pat on the car's roof.

"And don't call her a _thing_! You might hurt her" He tilted up an eyebrow.

" _He_ r? Really? And since when _she_ has feelings?" She tilted her head and mocked, raising her eyebrows as she regarded him.

"Do you want to upset Henry? You know he's worked hard on this!" Robin played his last card to convince Regina.

"I can't believe you're doing this!" She pointed her finger at him, shaking her head.

"Using my son against me? You're not playing fair!" She argued.

He grimaced.

"Fine! I just hope I'm not contracting tetanus from this thing!" She huffed.

" _Her_!" Robin corrected her.

"Whatever!" Regina said and finally climbed into the car.

Robin sat down behind the wheel, looking really proud and started the car.

"Where's our next stop, milady?" He joked with her.

Regina just rolled her eyes.

"What's your favorite place in the world? Would you like to go to any special place?" Robin asked Regina as he drove on the road, leaving Storybrooke behind them but of course, taking care to not cross the town line.

"I saw some beautiful places on the internet." He completed.

"Well, I almost never left Storybrooke!" She admitted.

"But if you could choose, where would you like to go?"

"Paris! The City of Light." She smiled shyly.

"Paris? I never saw that place. Maybe when the car is totally repaired, we can go there."

Regina let out a laugh.

"What?" He gave her a confused look.

"Honey, we can't go to Paris by a car! There's an ocean between here and there. Paris is placed in a different continent!"

"Oh! I guess I have to improve my internet researches then." He said graceless.

At that moment, they heard some weird noises coming from the car's hood. The car started to shake until it stopped.

"What is it? Why did the car stop?" Regina asked.

The key was put into the ignition and turned but nothing happened. He tried twice again before groaning, and slumping back against the seat.

"I don't know." Robin said quietly as he realized the car wouldn't start.

"I'm going to check it out." He climbed off the car and opened the hood.

After few minutes, he came back and Regina noticed he was forcing a smile to his face.

"What is it? Can you fix it?" She asked him but already knew the answer.

"I can't!" He retorted quickly, in low tone, praying for her not hear him.

"What do you mean you can't?" She lifted her hand in the air.

 _Damnit! She'd heard to him!_

"I think the battery is dead!" He was sighing loudly.

"So, revive it!" She glared at him, feeling her blood boil as Robin started to pace back and forth on the road.

"It doesn't work that way, Regina." Robin chuckled nervously.

"So, we are in the middle of nowhere, with a broken car that you can't fix it and I'm late for my meeting! Fantastic!" She let out a sarcastically laugh.

"Call David!" She gave him the idea.

"My cellphone is dead too." He sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair, staring at the floor.

Regina checked her own cellphone and noticed it was out of signal too.

"Great! Just great!" Regina snorted.

"We have to push start!" He tilted his face up and said to her his _brilliant_ idea.

"What? You have got to be kidding me!" She bit out sarcastically.

"We have to push the car until that downhill and then we can …" But before he could complete, Regina waved her hands and interrupted.

"We? There is no _we_ , honey! You're pushing this thing down there. I'm going perform my magic and puff myself to my office!" She said in her regal tone.

"Or, I could magically fix this damn thing!" She completed.

"No, you're not using magic! And you're not fixing her with magic either!" He shook his head no.

"Of course I am!" She objected.

"And if you call this thing _her_ again, I swear to you I'll turn it into crisps!" Regina warned him, looking really annoyed.

"Do you remember you promised not to use magic unless it was extremely necessary?" He gave her a threatening look.

"Yes! But _now_ it's extremely necessary!" She barked back, arching her left brow.

"No, it's not. As I said we just have to push!" He protested.

"There's no way I'm helping you to push this thing! I'm a queen"! She casted a defiant glance towards him.

"Regina, I can't do this by myself, I need your help!"

But Regina pretended she didn't listen to him. She crossed her arms and stood still on the passenger seat. She turned her head and looked out through the window.

"Fine!" He exclaimed and walked behind the car, starting to push.

After some failed attempts to move that damn car, Regina put her head out of the window and yelled at him:

"This is not working! The car is barely moving!"

"Of course it's not! Maybe if you moved your pretty and royal ass from there and helped me out here, the car would start to move!" He almost yelled at her, showing his annoyance.

Regina snorted. She couldn't believe this situation. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to figure out what s to do. She couldn't use her magic because, of course, he'd tell the boys about it. She couldn't walk to her office because it was too far. There wasn't any other way: she'd have to help him.

"I hate you! I really hate you!" She barked at him, climbing out of the car and shutting the door with a _bang._

"I love you too, milady!" He joked.

"But before you start to push, you'll have to take these off!" He said and pointed at her heels.

"What?"

"Your heels. Take them off."

"I'm not taking my heels off! If I'm going to push it, at least I'm pushing with class." She said and put her hands on her hips.

"Regina, please! How are you going to push the car on these high heels? You can twist your feet or ankles!" Despite the situation, he didn't want her to get hurt.

Regina closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves down.

 _You love him, Regina!_

 _Don't kill him._

 _You love him, right? Remember this, Regina!_

 _Damnit! Her new white dress!_

Regina was crying inside.

"My dress…is white!" She murmured, looking at her dress.

"Well, I could suggest for you to take it off too and I'd really enjoy the show, but I don't want my lady pushing a car almost naked on the road!" He glance at her body and smirked.

"Fuck you, Locksley! I can't believe you're thinking about sex right now!"

She was really mad and wouldn't let his damn charm distract her. She took off her heels and glanced at him, signaling that she was ready to push.

"Ok! In one, two, tree, we push!" He told her and she nodded.

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" She blurted.

"One, two, tree, push! Go!" He said and they started to push the car down the road.

"Push harder, Regina! C'mon! Push!"

"I'm pushing! Arghhhhhh!"

 _Jesus! The car was heavier than Regina thought._

The car started to move slowly but at least it was moving.

"It's moving!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, don't stop!" Robin said and started to push harder and run faster.

"Wait! Robin, Wait! What are you doing?" Regina started to follow his actions but she didn't know she had to push and run at the same time.

"C'mon, Regina! Push and run! Push harder and run faster! C'mon!" He was breathless but still encouraging her to push that damn thing.

"Hey! Robin! What the hell are you doing?" Regina screamed behind the car, still pushing and running, while Robin rounded the car and sat on his seat, trying to get it started.

The car ran down the downhill by itself, leaving a breathless, disheveled, sweaty and really mad Regina behind. The vein in her forehead was popping out.

She looked at her dress and closed her eyes…it was dirty and completely wrinkled.

 _How could she have a meeting like this? She was the mayor!_

She kept looking at the car and then she heard the snore of the engine. She saw the car turn around and come up the hill, approaching her. The car stopped by her side and the passenger door opened. She whirled around, anger seeping through her, climbed into the car, sitting in silence.

"See? It worked!" Robin tried to light the mood, joking with her, but he noticed Regina was pretty angry.

He kept driving the car in silence. Regina could see him glancing at her from time to time for the corner of her eyes.

"Love, I'm sorry! I can't do anything right, can I?" He finally spoke and laid a hand on her leg, squeezing it.

"You're right! You're a queen! You deserve more than this!"

"Sorry for your dress…it's really beautiful!" Robin added.

"And I told you I could take you to Paris with this damn car!" He chuckled sadly.

"I'm so sorry!" He finished quietly and turned his attention to the road.

Regina spun around to face him and noticed he was genuinely upset. He loved this car, he worked hard to fix it and of course he was disappointed that on its first ride with Regina, it failed.

"Stop the car!" She exclaimed.

"What? Regina…"

"I said stop the car! NOW!" She yelled her last word and ordered him to pull over.

"Regina, I'm so sorry but …" He apologized, while the car stopped.

Before he could gave her more explanations, she was straddling him and kissing him hard. Robin let out a soft moan as her lips moved hungrily against his. Her tongue darted out touching his lips, seeking permission to enter which he granted gladly. They only broke the kiss when they were breathless.

"Wow! Now I'm not fixing this battery!"

"Don't push your luck, thief!" She said, placing a finger on his lips.

Robin smiled and sucked her finger, showing his intentions.

Regina widened her eyes and felt a burning sensation started to pulse in her stomach.

 _That was hot!_

"Hum…I…" She moaned as she felt his hard member over his pants and started to rub herself against it.

"What?" He whispered and sucked her finger harder.

"I'm late! I have to go to work." She tried to stop him but he caught her hips hard and brought her closer to him.

"You're always late!" He said and she laughed, throwing her head back and he took this chance, kissing her along her neck, leaving hot and wet trails along her skin.

"Robin…" She breathed, trying to control herself but his nibble fingers started to rub her sex over her panties.

As much as she wanted this, she couldn't. She was really late, everybody was probably already waiting for her. And sex in the car in the daylight? Were they crazy teenagers? But it was so good…God! She was already so fucking wet but with her last act of self-control, she sat down on her seat again and gave him a mischievous grin.

"Regina!" He groaned loudly, screwing his eyes of frustration, while she let laughter overtake her.

"I'm charging a lot for this." He said, rubbing a hand over his hard length.

"Wait for me tonight." Regina tilted her head in a flirtatious manner and said it in her most alluring voice, sealing her words with one last passionate kiss.

And Regina was a woman to comply with her promises. Later that night, the only noises coming from inside her room were Robin's moans and gasps and cries of Regina's name, as he came hard in her mouth.

 ** _** FlashBack Off **_**

"Well, she once told me she loved Paris but never had a chance to been there." Robin said, leaving David with wide eyes.

"No, man…I am kidding. I know where Paris is and I don't think crossing the ocean is acceptable now. Unless…" Robin's eyes narrowed.

"Unless…" David signaled with his hands for him continues.

"I think I have an idea but I need your help with some stuff." Robin said enthusiastic.

"Ok, what do you need?" David really wanted to help him.

"First of all, I need the rest of this day off. Of course I can cover for you another time. Second, I need a suit."

"A suit? Man, what the hell are you planning?" David chuckled.

"Oh…and I need some snails!" Robin said arching his right brow.

"What the hell? Suit and snails?" David exclaimed.

"You're completely out of your mind, Robin! Remember you're trying to do something special for Regina. Are you sure about this?" David added with a confused look.

Robin just smirked and told David to trust him.

* * *

"Hi, Emma!" David said as he picked up his cell phone.

"Dad, I need you and Robin right now. There's something going on and I have no idea what to do about it!" Emma said with a panic voice.

"What's going on, Emma?"

"I don't know! Just meet me at Regina's office! We have a big problem!"

"Emma…no! Don't go to Regina's office now! We can…." But it was too late, Emma already had turned her phone off.

"Shit!" David talked to himself.

Maybe Robin's surprise wouldn't work if Regina got stuck with this new problem.

* * *

-"Regina!" Emma said breathless as she invaded the office.

"What is it, miss Swan? And by the way, polite people used to knock on the door before entering." Regina said rolling her eyes.

 _Great! Just what Regina needed today, the Charmings's family!_

"We have a problem!"

"Really? And since when we don't?" Regina answered her with the most sarcastic voice.

"I am serious, Regina. I have no idea what's going on but people are just showing up out of the blue!"

"What?" Regina stood up from her chair and faced Emma in the eyes.

 _Was Emma crazy? What was that about?_

"Regina, some people I never saw in my life are showing up here in the town! They don't know why or how they're coming here! And there are wearing some strange costumes, with different accents! Who are those people? What are we supposed to do with them?" Emma was really scared, talking nonsenses and Regina didn't understand one single word of what she was babbling about.

"Easy, Emma. Breathe and start again." Regina tried to calm her down.

"So, strange people that you never saw in your life are here in Storybrooke? Wearing costumes? What kind of costumes? Did you talk with any of them?" Regina asked.

"I don't know, Regina. I was at Granny's with Hook and suddenly those people just…appeared! Like magic or something! They appeared right in front of us and they don't know how or why they got here!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her hand on the air.

"Did you ask them where they are coming from?"

"They said they're from another land…Camelot! I don't know! The place is a mess! Some people are talking about Excalibur. That a sword, right? And…God, this is not happening!"

"What is it, Emma?"

"Some people are saying Merlin sent them here!"

"Merlin? The great sorcerer? He is here?" Regina felt fear taking over her. Merlin was powerful, he could control the dagger.

"I don't know. We have to talk to these people and try to figure out what's going on."

"Right, let's go to the Granny's then." Regina said and headed to the door.

When they were about to leave the office, David arrived breathless and put a hand right in front of Regina, blocking her way out.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Regina asked him in a serious and angry tone.

"You don't have to go, Regina. Emma and I can perfectly handle with this situation! Right, Emma?" David asked her daughter, looking directly at Emma's eyes.

"Dad, I am not sure about this. We need Regina, she can recognize these people and she has magic. I think we need her!" Emma replied to David.

"Of course you need me! This is an important issue and I'm the mayor. Why don't you want me to go there?" Regina asked in a challenging tone.

"Where's Robin? He was supposed to be here with you! Where is he?" Regina completed.

"He is …" David cleared his throat.

"He is not here." He added and stared at the floor.

"Oh, really? Please, don't tell me the obvious! I'm not blind, I can see he is not here! That's why I'm asking you where he is!"

"He is on patrol." David lied.

"On a useless wood patrol when the town is a mess? Robin traveled between realms; maybe he can recognize some of these people! Call him now!" Regina said with a peremptory tone.

"His cell phone is out of area." David immediately answered.

"How do you know that? You even tried to call him. What's going on?" Regina raised her eyebrows, clearly suspecting of something.

"I…hum…right! But…you know. Let's try to resolve this by ourselves right, Emma? I really think you and me can deal with this." David said directly at Emma.

"Regina, I think you should go home." He gave her a squeezed on her arm.

Regina chucked bitterly.

"And since when you can tell me what I can or can't do? What are you hiding from me, Charming?" Regina said and stepped forward like she was challenging David.

"Hey, guys…we don't need a scene right now. We have an important issue to deal with, remember? Let's go to Granny's and see what we can do, right?" Emma was trying to calm Regina down.

"Regina, you call Robin" Emma said trying to demise that awkward situation as they left the place.

"Did you reach Robin?" Emma asked Regina as they were about to enter in Granny's.

"I have tried many times, but no! His phone is dead! I think he's out of battery. He never charges it." Regina said with a long sight.

That was it. Robin was never there to help her; especially when she needed him most.

"That's ok. Maybe he is in an area without service! Let's try to solve this by ourselves." Emma said but noticed the disappointed look on Regina's face. She closed her eyes, sighted deeply and entered in the dinner.

Granny's was a mess like Emma had said. No, it was worse, people were desperate! That damn dwarf couldn't shut up his mouth. What was his name? Regina wanted to remember his name to rip his heart off when she had the chance. He kept babbling and babbling that a curse was coming again, that there were evil monsters coming to destroy them, to kill them all.

 _This is not happening! Not right now!_

Regina had some personal issues to deal with first. She had promised to herself to have a sincere conversation with Robin that night. But where the hell was he? She needed him by her side now. Emma was by Hook's side, Snow was by David's sand even Belle was by Rumple's side. But she was alone... Maybe he was checking on Zelena, after all she was the mother of his baby.

Regina shook her head in an attempt to expulse her thoughts. As a mayor, she needed to do something, people couldn't just appear from nowhere.

"Guys, calm down! Guys…" Emma was trying to have their attention but no one seemed to care about her pleads.

"Please, guys…" Emma was trying again when Regina grabbed her arm and said:

"Let me try it my way this time." And suddenly, a fireball appeared on her hand and she directed it against the nearest wall.

People immediately froze and stared at her in silence, with wide eyes.

"Well, thank you for your attention." She said and walked towards the crowd.

"A fire ball?" Emma whispered with a grin on her face.

"It worked, didn't it?" Regina raised her left brow.

"My name is Regina, I'm the mayor of this town." She said with a bossy voice.

"Until we figure out what's happening, and we will, we'll find some places for you spend the night and some clothes. For now, I think it's the best we can do." She said trying to comfort the new town citizens.

"Where are you from?" She asked.

"We are from Camelot. I'm Arthur, at your service" Said an intriguing man who emerged from the middle of the crowd and stood right in front of Regina, taking her hand gently for him and kissing her knuckles.

The man was King Arthur. Regina had already heard about him, his heroic journeys to save his people. He was really distinguished. He had a beautiful British accent, a wide jaw, muscular shape and deep blue eyes.

 _No! Oh God! She could describe Robin that way._

And his last sentence…

 _Stop it, Regina!_ She thought with herself.

"Welcome to Storybrooke!" Regina said, clearing her throat and pushing her hand back slowly.

"I think you have a lot to learn about this world but it's a long conversation and it's getting late. For now, I can provide rooms for you to spend the night." She informed the crowd.

"You're welcome in my office tomorrow morning and we'll try to figure out what to do next." Regina said disentangling her hand from Arthur's shake.

"Thank you very much. My people are just scared but I think a good night's sleep would help to calm down their nerves." He said, not breaking eye contact with Regina.

"So, tomorrow morning I'll be in your office. Thank you again and it's always a pleasure to talk with an intelligent and beautiful woman such as you." He said, making Regina blush.

 _Was this man flirting with her?_

 _She couldn't believe it!_

-"Until tomorrow then." She said with a shiny smile and was about to turn around when he asked:

"I know you said you'd explain me some things tomorrow, but there is just one thing I wish to know now. If you could tell me, of course." He told her.

"Go ahead. I just hope it's not an embarrassing question." She said with a playing smile on her face.

 _Oh no…was she now flirting with him too? No!_

But that man reminder her Robin so much; their first meeting in the forest, in Storybrooke, the way he was talking to her, looking at her…

 _Where the hell was Robin anyway? Why wasn't he there with her right now?_

She immediately cleared her throat, shook her head and turned her face into a serious expression.

"Who were you on the Enchanted Forest? I mean, I've already heard some tales from these people since I got here and I've learned that you are not from this land either."

"Oh, I…I was the Queen. The Evil Queen." She said graceless.

"The Evil Queen? Oh…" He raised his eyes brows in surprise.

"So, you know me? But don't worry, I won't rip your heart out and crush it." She said with a mischievous smile.

"I'm not worried and yes…I know you, your reputation precedes you." He said and Regina widened her eyes.

"But I can see that maybe you had this label in your land but not here anymore. You may be a lot of things but evil? I don't think so." He completed.

"You don't know me." She replied rashly.

"No. But I really want to." He said and his eyes travelled between her eyes and her mouth.

 _No! Was this a damn déjà vu? A cruel joke that fate was playing with her?_

She had to get away from his man as fast as she could. She shook her head and excused herself, saying she had to set up some things for his people to spend the night.

* * *

Regina spent the rest of the night with Emma and David providing everything for the new people. She was exhausted! It was almost midnight and she just wanted to go home, take a hot shower and lie down on her bed.

When she got out of Granny's she checked her phone and saw dozens of missing calls from Robin. _Great!_ Tonight was supposed to be the night of their conversation but Regina had decided to post-pone it to another day. She'd call him when she got home, especially to ask where he was all this time but their talk would have to wait for another time. Right now she just wanted to rest.

When Regina arrived in her house, she went to the kitchen and poured some water in a glass. Then something caught her attention: a note in Robin's handwriting. She read it and made her away to her backyard, as the note instructed.

The scenery she saw was breath taking. Her apple tree and some of the other plants were all decorated with tiny little light bulbs. Wait! What was that near the tree?

 _Oh God! A replica of the Eiffel Tower on a small scale._

Regina widened her watering eyes in fascination. She had said to him once she had always wanted to go to Paris.

 _Did Robin remember this? Did he do all this for her?_

A wave of guilty took over her. She was thinking ill of his absence and he had been here the whole time preparing this surprise for her. A pang of guilt hit her hard. No one had ever done something like this for her. She turned her attention around and noticed an elaborate and classic table which was decorated with some candles and flowers; Regina's smile widened. The whole thing was beautiful but not more beautiful than the handsome man who was sitting on a chair, with an elegant suit and messy hair, resting his head on his forearm, in deep sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, girls.**

 **As usual, I'd like to thank my friends Monica, Gabi and Nikki for reviewing this story. You're amazing!**

 **So, they already have an actor to play King Arthur. What do you think? Well, I think my Arthur is better! Hahahaha I'm kidding! The guy is really handsome too.**

 **I still can't believe it but I heard that Zelena's baby will be born in Season 5. Yeah…prepare yourselves for that!**

 **Finally, Robin and Regina are having a sincere talk here but not THE final conversation, the big one is on the next chapter. Let's have some smut before the storm.**

 **Anyway, thank you for your reviews. It means a lot to me!**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter. *-***

* * *

 **CHAPTER 4**

"Robin…Robin…" Regina said in a low tone close to his ear, stroking his hair softly.

"Hm…" He mumbled and tilted his head a little.

"You're late." He said in a sleeping voice, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I'm sorry!" She muttered softly.

"That's a lot going on to the town. Some people just appeared here out of the blue."

"What?" He asked her straightening his posture on the chair.

"We don't know almost anything about it yet. We just know they are from Camelot. Tomorrow we'll try to gather more information."

"Did you do that for me?" She said with eyes softening, gesturing at the scenery surrounding her.

He nodded sadly and forced a smile to his face.

"It's beautiful, Robin. I loved it; nobody ever did something like this for me." She said with tears in her eyes.

Regina awkwardly cleared her throat and rubbed her hands together nervously before speak again.

"And now that you did, I screwed up! I'm so sorry."

He stood up immediately and hugged her tied. She buried her face on the crook of his shoulder and hugged him back.

"Hey, it's not your fault! You were managing with some town's issues; I understand it." He said lifting her chin with his finger and looking into her eyes lovely.

"I just wanted to enjoy it but now it's too late!" She said softly, not been able to contain her tears anymore.

"There's no need to cry, my love." Robin cupped her face as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs.

"I know…" Regina trembled at the intensity she saw in his eyes. She was feeling too sensitive lately, maybe because she was repressing a lot of confused thoughts in her mind.

"Well, maybe we can eat something before sleep. Of course, if you are not too tired." He said with his gorgeous dimpled smile and kissed her softly.

"Besides, it'd be a shame for the snails!" He gave her a mischievous grin.

Regina raised one brow eye, genuinely curious about his answer. When she understood what he was implying, she laughed loud, throwing her head back and making him smile with her.

That was good; it had been a long time she didn't laugh sincerely like that with him.

"I can't believe you did that! And I told you they're not snails, they are called escargots!" She missed that: the flirting and funny moments. She missed them, the _real_ them.

"Oh, fancy snails then!" He replied with his eyes shining with join.

"No more than your suit." She could see he had missed them either and she decided to play along as long as she could.

"Actually, I think this is the first time I'm seeing you dressed like that." He was really handsome and she couldn't resist but touch his chest and start to play with his tie, giving him a mischievous smirk.

"Easy, milady. You have to eat some snails and if I know you well, you don't eat anything in a while, right?"

Just now Regina realized how hungry she really was. He was right; she had barely eaten a sandwich with him on lunch.

"Alright but before I'm risking to eat that, I have to know how you cooked your _snails_!" She said, still playing with his tie.

"Well, the internet helped me a lot but I can't deny that I had extra help!" He chuckled.

Regina frowned.

"Belle, she helped me." He admitted.

"Of course! Let's eat some snails then!"

Regina was really tired but she couldn't miss this moment; she'd enjoy everything he had done for her. Especially because it had been a long time they didn't have a light and funny moment together. She was tired but happy, really happy. Maybe things would come back to the way they were before, the way they supposed to be.

"The cushions were a great idea." She said lying down on a blanket that was outstretched on the ground, her head lying on his chest.

"I never thought I would like to watch the stars. It's so slushy!" She was feeling ridiculous but at the same time she was in peace. This was everything she needed for now.

"Indeed it is"! He smiled brightly, pulling the blanket to their chest and nudging her closer to him.

"It's perfect, Robin. Thank you." Regina lifted her head, gave a quick but lovely peck on his mouth and kept staring at him.

"What?" He frowned in confusion.

"I just wished things were less complicated…I just wished this, being ridiculous with you!" She let out a quickly laugh.

"Me too." He admitted.

"Just…don't leave me again." She said with a timid voice and swallowed hard.

"Regina…" He made his way to a sitting position taking her with him and took her face between his hands, caressing her cheeks lightly.

"Is that what you are afraid of?" He asked her but before she could answer, he continued.

"You know I never left you because I wanted to; it was necessary. It was the only way I could save Marian." After saying that he closed his eyes tightly and shook his head, smiling sarcastically.

"If I knew at that time she wasn't Marian, I'd never had left the town. I was wrong; if I hadn't done that, none of this would have happened. I should have let her die." He nodded his head and screwed his eyes shut.

"Robin, don't say it, that's not you! There was no way we knew about that at the moment and even if we did, we wouldn't let her die."

"I know…I'm sorry! I never thought things would become like this between us." He chuckled sadly.

"Today I was walking on the woods and I saw our log. Do you remember it?" He asked her and she nodded in affirmation.

"Things used to be so good at that time. We were falling in love and I hadn't screwed up everything!" He added quietly.

"Things just…happened! Zelena did set up everything and she used you to get her revenge against me. I'm not blaming you about that but…" She was sighing loudly and running a hand through her hair.

"It's just…I wanted to be sure."

She knew they had to have this conversation but that wouldn't make things easier for her. How could she say some things to him? He was a victim too but at the same time, he had given up on her so fast and easy. She didn't want to ruin their perfect night. She was conflicted.

 _Did he have forgotten about her so fast? Would she tell him about that? But how?_

"Sure about what?" Robin asked her with wary eyes, taking her out of her thoughts.

"About you not giving up on me again…" She said and blinked away the unshed tears.

"Regina…"

"No, let me finish this!" She said, cutting his words.

"I know you have your code of honor and I understand that but what if Zelena needed you by her side because of the baby? Your responsibility is towards to the child now, Robin…and Zelena is carrying it." She inhaled deeply and continued.

"I just want to be sure if something happens, you won't leave me again, you won't give up on me again so easily, you won't put your honor above me, above us again!" The words were out before she could stop them. She finally could say loudly and clearly the words that were unspoken until now but were in her mind, bothering her for a while.

"Regina, trust me…I won't." He cupped her face and she closed her eyes at the sensation of his touch against her skin. He felt his throat begin to constrict as he saw the hurt in her face and he knew he had caused this.

"I already made this mistake and look what we got! I won't do it again! I won't choose my honor over you again. Please, believe me!" He said looking directly at her eyes.

"But you know I have to be there for the baby, don't you? There's no way I'd let that insane woman take care of that child! She has no condition for it; she doesn't want the baby, Regina. The baby is only a part of her sick plan against you but it's not the baby's fault!" He completed with some angry in his voice.

"I know…I know! It's not the baby's fault!" Regina said looking down and bit the inside of the cheek.

"Is there something else you want to tell me?" He took her chin in his hand and lifted her head up.

"No, there's not." Regina tried to avoid his eyes and turned her head away from him.

"Regina, tell me, please. What is it?" He held her head gently and turned her face to him again.

Regina was trying to tell him about her situation for a long time but she couldn't do it. Since New York, she gave him some clues about this delicate subject but she had never touched on it again. It was too painful for her. She knew it was her fault, she had done that to herself and she had regretted about it since ever. But now it was too late; there was no way to come back and reverse it. If only she could…

"I can't have children! I took an infertility potion a long time ago." She blurted and couldn't control her tears anymore.

Robin hugged her tied, trying to comfort her.

"Regina, we don't need more children; you have Henry and I have Roland. We're trying to build a family together." He caressed her hair softly as he slid a hand on her back up and down.

"Of course it's not easy since Roland is constantly bothering Henry and stealing his favorite comic books! And oh…add the fact that Roland always wants to change the TV channel when Henry is watching his movies. And the most important thing: we still have to learn how to be more careful about…you know about _what_!" He tilted up an eyebrow and lifted her head to face him.

"I don't think is a good idea to give a potion to ours sons every time they caught us in the act!" He chuckled.

"Unless, of course, you have a secret desire to build a forgetting potion's shop here on the backyard!" He said with a smirk, trying to make her feel better; he couldn't stand to see her sad like that.

Regina couldn't resist but smile loud and hit his chest playfully.

"You're an idiot"! She said still laughing and shaking her head.

"What I'm trying to say is we're still adjusting into this new life, Regina. I won't lie to you that I had never dreamed about a little girl with raven locks and blue eyes running after her brothers and conjuring some kind of weird magic on them." He admitted it and her smile fade away.

"But you know what? If one day you want more kids, we can adopt one…or ten if you wish, like you did with Henry." And he continued:

"But we don't know what the future has prepared for us. Maybe you can reverse that, maybe…"

But she did cut him before he could say anything else.

"No, I can't! It's impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible, Regina. We live in a town with magic, there's always hope." He replied determined.

"Are you sure you're not Snow's relative?" She joked.

He was right, they could adopt a child and she would love that child as she always loved Henry and this thought made her smile again. Since she decided to have this conversation with him, she though it would be difficult and sad but he had the ability to make her feel good even on the hardest moments. With him it was just normal and simple.

"But there's a problem!" He said with a serious look, raising his eye brow.

"What?" She answered, already expecting another problem coming up.

"To make a baby, we have to…you know, _practice_! He said, making her chuckled.

"What are you suggesting, Locksley?" She said and started to play with his tie again, nibbling her lower lip provocatively and in a fast move, she was straddling him.

"Regina!" He adverted her as if she was a dish child but let out a quickly laugh.

"What? Don't you miss me?" She whispered in his ear and started to rub her sex over his pants.

"Hm, I can feel you do!" She said in a provocative tone, still rubbing her wanting sex over his already half hard member.

"Did I tell you I loved this suit?" She completed and kissed him hard.

"Milady, you stop with this now or…"

But she did cut him, twitching her fingers through his tie and bringing his face really close to her.

"Or what, Outlaw? Will you fuck me hard? Will you make me scream your name when I come senseless?" She tilted her head in a flirtatious manner to him and said in her most alluring voice.

He breathed in her words in his mouth, biting his lower lip and grabbed her arse firmly, bringing her even closer to him, if that was even possible.

"It's been a while, Regina. What were you trying to do? Tease me, test me or drive me crazy? You did let me feel you warm on the bed every single night, let me breath your scent but didn't let me be inside you?" He said with hungry eyes as he started to tease her nipples with his thumbs over the fabric of her dress.

"Hmm…" She moaned at his touch.

"Maybe I was teasing you, maybe I was mad at you, maybe I was just testing you…who knows?" She said and kept rubbing her wet bundle of nerves over his pants.

He wanted her badly; he had missed her badly but that damn dress and his pants were on his way.

 _Damnit! Where the hell was the zipper of that damn thing?_

He'd never know.

"Regina…" he begged her and she knew exactly what he wanted but she decided to play forward with her evil game.

"Tell me, Locksley! What were you doing with your morning trouble?" She asked, feeling his evident hardness. Suddenly she grabbed it over the fabric of his pants and squeezed it firmly.

He threw his head back and moaned.

"Regina, please!" He begged her.

 _This woman was impossible!_

"Show me what you can do, Locksley." She whispered these words really close to his ear and bit softly his ear bone.

Robin looked at her teasing face and couldn't control himself anymore; with a dashing movement, he grabbed the handles of her dress with all force and he ripped her dress in half, leaving her exposed to him for the waist to above.

Regina froze but loved his boldness.

"You will pay for this"! She said touching his mouth with her fingers, playfully.

"Gladly, milady!" He said as he nipped and placed wet kisses along her jaw.

"And thank you for not wearing that beautiful but weird thing you called as _bra_ on this land." He said and she grimaced but grinded against him, tightening her legs around his hips and making him moan.

Robin let out a soft groan as her lips moved hungrily against his. Her tongue darted out touching his lips, seeking permission to enter which he granted. He buried one hand on her hair as the other was cupping her breast and teasing her nipple with his thumb.

The feel of him hardening underneath her made her pulse quicken. She wanted him and if he kept kissing and teasing her like that, she could come over her panties.

A devilish grin appeared on her face as they parted to catch some breath. He knew she was up with something but he didn't expect what was coming next: with a bold and quick motion, she did the same with his shirt as he previously had done with her dress, making the buttons flying away over the air.

"Milady, I think David wouldn't like what you did to his shirt." He said to her trying to keep a serious tone.

"Really? I guess he wouldn't like what I'm about to do with his pants too!" She was smiling provocatively, biting her lower lips as she started to work on his belt, rubbing her fingers on his hard length intentionally.

"Be gentle with his suit or else you'll pay for this." He said, mimicking her owns previous words.

"You know I'm not gentle!" She slid down his pants with his boxers hastily to his thighs and then to his feet, pulling them off and dropping them somewhere on the floor.

She got up and pulled down the dress she was half wearing, slowly and in a provocative way, never breaking eye contact with him. When she was only with her white lace panties, she straddled him again.

"I like white." He said, playing with the bows of her underwear.

"I know." She said, putting her hands on his chest, caressing it softly and feeling his hard muscles and his heart beating fast.

"I've missed this." She confessed and trembled at the intensity she saw in his eyes.

"And I've missed you badly." He said, stroking the sides of her body with his fingerprints until he reached her face, cupping her cheeks with his hands and putting a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I love you." He mumbled these words against her cheek, his lips making their way to hers and she began to rock against him steadily, making him groan inside her mouth.

She wound her arms around his neck and kept kissing him passionately. They kissed hard and long, as she kept rubbing her sex against him. He held her close, caressing her and running his hands over her sides.

His blue and hungry eyes looked down at her, noticing her straining nipples and grazing them lightly with his thumbs. He felt himself even harder, seeing her moaning and arching her back, as he snapped one of her breast in his mouth. He sucked hard, twirling his warm tongue around her erect nipple. Regina moaned again and grabbed his head firmly, pulling it to her chest. He ran his hands over her hips and slid them beneath her underwear.

"Fuck!" He groaned as he felt how wet she was for him.

He kept teasing her wet and warm clit with his fingers as he sucked her breasts even harder. She couldn't wait anymore, she wanted him desperately and she needed him now!

"Robin!" She groaned lowly in his ear and bended her torso to him, grabbing his face and making him look directly to her eyes.

"No hush, milady. I want to savor you properly." He smirked as his fingers kept working in her wet sex.

"Well… so savor me fast!" She commend to him, letting out a growl of frustration.

"Stop tease me, thief! Or else I…" She pointed her finger at him and he wanted to keep teasing her but he couldn't wait anymore; it had been a long time since he had felt her, he was desperate and hungry to feel her again.

"Robin…" She groaned but he lifted her hips a little, pushed her underwear aside and filled her completely with one rough movement.

They both moaned, enjoying the feeling of the encounter of their warm sexes.

"Oh…this is good! I missed you inside of me." She moaned and started to move slowly up and down around his shaft.

"And I you…" He said and gripped her hips firmly but let her set the pace, up and down.

His heart was fit to rush wide open and a lock arousal shot through him as he took her mouth in a passionate kiss, their lips never parting once.

She felt him tremble as she started to straddle him faster.

"Oh…." She moaned, biting her lips and pushing harder against him, supporting her elbows on his shoulders and nailing her nails on the warm skin of his back.

Regina threw her head back; her breathing became quicker and shallower. She was getting close, so close that she could come right now! Her lips parted in a groan when his thumb rubbed circles over her bundle of nerves and his fingertips teased her belly.

"I'm close!" She managed to whisper after a few moments, before latching onto his neck and sucking at the right spot just below his jaw.

"Not so fast, milady!" He groaned lowly in her ear.

"I want to taste your cum in my mouth!" He said and spun them around, leaving her beneath him.

"What the hell are you…" But before she could complain his head was between her thighs and his mouth inside her entrance.

Regina sucked her breath and grabbed his hair tight. He was sucking and licking her folders with his hot tongue as his thumb moved fast over her clit, keeping friction on it. His tongue kept working inside and off of her. He grabbed her arse, arched her up, bringing her even close to him. She gave a low cry when he sucked her clit more firmly, scrubbing his teeth softly against it.

She felt a build of heat growing inside her stomach and started to rock her hips to him. Her thighs began to shake, her back arched off the ground and she couldn't wait anymore.

"I miss your taste in my mouth, Regina." Robin whispered to her with his warm breath in her sex.

That was it.

Regina arched up even more as she was taken away hard by her climax.

Robin paused for one moment and stared at her twitching. She was still with eyes closed and breathing heavily. She was beautiful. _Stunning in every way_. Especially when she came undone like that for him.

She opened her eyes after a moment and met his gaze; a smile crossed their lips and she pulled his head to her. She cupped his cheeks and brown eyes met blue. Her mouth met his in a slow kiss and she hummed when she taste herself in her mouth.

"We seem like horny teenagers making out on the backyard!" She gave him a mischievous grin and he let laughter overtake him.

"Thankfully the boys are not here today." He whispered, their foreheads meeting and he couldn't resist but rock his still hard member against her.

"You're insatiable!" She joked.

"We have to make up for lost time!" He said with his gorgeous dimpled smile and guided his rigid member to her folds, filling her with one thrust, making them both moan.

He began to move slowly, sliding in and out of her gently. She wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust her hips to meet his, holding him by his shoulder.

"Faster!" She breathed and pushed her hips back into him.

He increased his pace and started to pound harder into her. He hooked one hand down her leg and brought it to his shoulder, driving himself deeper into her body and reaching her right spot.

Their bodies were on fire; they could hear the sounds of their skin meeting and feel a tiny layer of sweat started to form between them. Their groans and moans were echoing off on Regina's backyard as Robin kept thrusting even harder and deeper.

She ran her hands along his arms over his chest and into his hair, tightening her grip with each thrust and feeling herself being carried on another wave of desire.

Robin was gasping in pleasure watching her coming for him again, crying out his name as her orgasm took over her body. The burn inside his belly was building and swirling wildly; his balls were begging to release as her inner muscles clamped down on him. He let out an anguished groan and thrust deeply again and again, as the orgasm overtook him and he spilled his seed inside of her.

He slumped down his body on to her and she started to caress his hair softly; they stayed like that enjoying their moment.

He pulled out and laid down, bringing her with him and dragging the blanket up to their bodies. They laid on each other's arms, caressing, touching and breathing each other in, trying to calm down their heart beats.

"Wow! That was…" Robin was the first to break the silence.

Regina laughed, almost closing her eyes as the tiredness was taking her body.

"Yes, it was." She said and gave him a sweet kiss.

He ran a hand though her hair and pressed his lips to the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her tighter.

"I love you, my Queen!" He said with love in his eyes.

"I love you too, my Thief!" She laid her head on his chest and placed a hand over his heart. She closed her eyes as the sleep took over her, feeling his heart beating over the palm of her hand.

* * *

The morning was coming and Regina groaned in frustration as the first sun lights started to hit her eyes. She opened her eyes slowly and confused; her head was lying on Robin's chest and their legs were interlaced underneath the blanket. She lifted her head a little and smirked, as she noticed the smile on his face. _Was he dreaming about her?_ She wanted to know. She lifted her head and looked at her surroundings, noticing their clothes were spread on the grass.

 _Wait! Grass?_

 _Oh god! They had hungry sex on the backyard and slept there._

Slowly, she pulled away from his arms and reached for her clothes.

"Honey…" Regina widened her eyes and froze as she heard a well-known voice coming from behind her.

Regina closed her eyes and breathed deeply before turned around and face that person.

"Mother." She whispered with a trembling voice, her whole body was shaking and she tried to hide her nudity with the blanket.

"I missed you, darling." Cora said approaching her with slow steps.

"What are you doing here? You are dead!" She said, eyes full of concern and fear.

"Does it look like I am dead?" Cora smiled from the corner of her mouth and cupped Regina's face with her hands.

"But…" She breathed out but didn't seem convinced.

"I know…You thought Snow White had killed me."

"But she did…the candle…" Regina shook her head no, trying to convince herself that that was a hallucination. She felt her throat begin to constrict when she took in the sight of the woman standing right in front of her, cupping her face and immediately took a step back.

"How many times did you think I was dead, sweat heart?"

"Mother…what do you want?" She tried her best to snarl out her words but they ended up sounding more vulnerable than she had hoped.

"Help you. Isn't that obvious?" Cora said and tried to approach Regina again.

"No, mother…it is not!" She bit out sarcastically, forcing a smile to her face.

"You didn't learn the lesson, did you Regina?" She said in a reproachful tone.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Regina felt her blood boil as her mother hit too close to the mark.

"Love is weakness! How many times I have to say that to you, foolish girl?" Cora said, approaching Regina quickly, putting her hands on Regina's neck and tightening.

"No, it's not. You were wrong!" Regina tried to say that, fighting against her mother's grip. She knew her magic was different lately, she couldn't risk using it. She took a sign of Robin still lying down on the ground and was afraid to hurt him.

"Oh…it's him, isn't it? The man with the lion tattoo." Cora said as she followed Regina's line of vision.

"Leave him alone!" Regina said nervously as she saw her mother relaxing the grip of her neck and diverting her attention to him.

"This man will be your end, Regina. I was right when I didn't introduce him to you in the past!"

"You were mistaken, mother!" She reiterates angrily.

"Was I? Look at you now…pretending everything is fine but both of us know that is not!" Cora said, letting out a sarcastic smile.

"That's not of your concern!" Regina snapped angrily.

"Are your sure? I didn't raise my only daughter for this!" She pointed a finger to Regina challengingly, staring at her with a displeasure look.

"As I can remember, I am _not_ your only daughter." She said, raising one eye brow, as she stared back at her mother.

"Right…Zelena!" Cora waved her hands on the air and nodded her head.

"She is making me proud, you know? Look at her: she is stronger, powerful and smarter than you. Maybe I had kept the wrong daughter!" She completed.

"Maybe you did." Regina said with a weak voice, screwing her eyes shut to keep the tears that she felt forming in the corners at bay.

"And do you know why she is the stronger one, darling?" Cora tried to caress Regina's face again but she spun around as if she had been burnt.

"Because she doesn't love!" Cora almost screamed these words on Regina's face.

Regina tightened her grip on the blanket and lowered her head but she couldn't let her mother do that to her, she couldn't sound weak and upset because of Cora's words.

"She is locked in on a mental institution. She lost; that's her end, mother!" Regina managed to say that even she was broken for inside.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself? This is not the end; you know she'll find a way to get out of there soon or later." Cora replied in a defiant tone.

"I'm not seeing how she could do such a thing!" Regina tried to smile.

"That's your problem; love is blinding you." Cora said and before Regina could answer her, she continued:

"He is blinding you, mystifying your judgment." Cora pointed at Robin again, with more anger in her eyes.

"Are you done? You can go now! Thank you for your advices." Regina couldn't stand that anymore, she needed her mother gone but apparently that was not Cora's intentions.

"Do you think your lovely thief would leave his baby for you?" Cora mocked in her most regal voice.

"Of course he wouldn't leave the baby but we are on this together." She innocently answered.

"Honey, you're been ridiculous!" Cora smiled hard this time.

"Open your eyes, he had never chosen you." She completed, still smiling on Regina's face.

"Get out!" Regina barked back. She couldn't endure over this situation, she wanted her mother disappear from there.

"I'm sorry I'm upsetting you but you have to listen the truth, dear. You know this, don't you?" Cora changed the tone of her voice and tried to sound sweet this time.

"I said get out!" Regina said with tears and anger in her eyes.

"Sweet heart, as I said I'm here to help you." Cora said and stared at her daughter's eyes.

"As I can see, you're here to humiliate me!" Regina retorted sharply.

"I don't need your help, I'm fine!" She completed, trying to avoid her mother's eyes.

"You are not, Regina. You know you are not fine, you need my help!"

"Even if I needed help, you'd be the last person to help me!" Regina said ironically.

"Regina, you need your mother…trust me…I know you do!"

"Trust you? You have got to be kidding me!" Regina sarcastically scoffed.

"Mother, you destroyed me…you and Rumple made me the Evil Queen!" She inhaled deeply, wondering why she felt the need to explain herself.

"Don't put the blame on me, Regina!" Cora approached her again.

"Really? Get out!" Regina sharply turned her back to her mother.

"I know I was wrong, I admitted it but you caused a lot of suffer to yourself!" Cora caressed Regina's shoulders softly and made her turned around.

"It was you who drank that potion, dear! It was not my fault, I told you to not do that but …" Cora tried to speak to her daughter again but Regina was unwilling to hear.

"Stop it! I don't want to talk about that now!"

"I'm here to help you! Please, listen to me!" Cora was almost begging for Regina's attention.

"Help me? I think you already _helped me_ enough!" Regina's eyes narrowed, glancing at her mother challengingly.

"You have to protect the girl, Regina." Cora said with concerned eyes.

"What girl?" The former queen asked but she had a feeling she wouldn't like to know the answer.

"The baby girl, my granddaughter." Cora admitted.

"It's a girl…" Regina whispered to herself and shook her head no, felling her throat begin to constrict and her knees getting weak but she couldn't show it to her mother.

"I had never done anything good for you and I regret that! Let me help you now." Cora tried to sound as sincere as she could.

"I really don't want to talk about that." Regina's heart was beating quickly, she couldn't control her emotions anymore and a single tear dropped from her eye.

"Why are you doing this, mother?" She questioned quietly.

"Because you have to know…" Cora took Regina's hands and continued:

"Don't let your sister hurt the baby, Regina. Trust me; she will try to hurt you and the baby!" She said, squeezing Regina's hands firmly.

"Go away, mother. I think you should talk to Zelena, not to me." She gulped and pulled her hands back to her body, bracing herself over the blanket and staring at the ground.

"You don't understand…" Cora shook her head and stared at her daughter.

"I do, mother. It seems I can't be entirely happy! You're here just to point to me the obvious! You won! Are you happy?" She lifted her head and bit out sarcastically.

"I'm not! That's why I'm here. I made a lot of mistakes with you but I'm not letting your sister hurts you or the girl."

"Let me talk to you and you'll understand!" Cora completed.

"No! It's torture!" Regina refused to listen whatever her mother was trying to say to her.

"Why? Because now you can't have children? Because now you sister is pregnant? Because now she's carrying a baby of your soulmate? But Regina…"

"STOP!" Regina yelled and whirled around, anger seeping through her.

"Honey, listen to me…" But before Cora could say any other word, Regina harshly cut her.

"Get away from here….NOW!" Regina yelled and closed her eyes shut, felling a burning and new sensation taking over her body.

She tried to open her eyes but the wave of lighting surrounding her body was too strong and hurt her pupils. She knew her magic was unlike lately but she had never felt anything so strong like that before, especially because she didn't have the intention of using magic right now. A sense of panic invaded her; she tried to control it but she had no idea of how she was supposed to do that. She could sense it was a different kind of magic, a stronger one, stronger than light magic and it was completely unknown to her. She tried to control her breathe and fell down to her knees, she had to stop whatever she was doing; Robin was still sleeping on the ground, she could hurt him, she could hurt herself.

After a few seconds, she could open her eyes and turned her attention to him who was still sleeping peacefully. She took a deep breath and mentally thanked he was fine and she hadn't hurt him with her magical collapse or whatever it had been that. Unconsciously, she turned her head around and the picture she saw made her heart stop: someone was laid down on the ground and she could hear weak moans and could see a line of blood streaming down the woman's face.

 _Mother!_

Regina gasped at the realization; she had hurt her own mother. There was a time she couldn't care about that but right now she was a different person, she was not the Evil Queen anymore, it was not her intention to hurt Cora. She knew her mother never really cared about her. Her mother just thought about what it was the best for herself. Never stop to think, not even for a second, about how Regina felt. But seeing her mother dying, again, in front of her, made her remember the last time this same thing happened. It made her remember that no matter what, she was her mother. Deep down, even if she didn't want to, she would always care about her, simply because she was her mother. She ran as fast as she could towards her mother and kneeled at her side, taking her head and lying it on her lap.

"Mother, I'm so sorry…" She said with a trembling voice and tears running down her cheeks. She caressed her mother's face and tried to wipe away the blood with her thumbs but it was too much blood on her forehead; Regina was desperate, she didn't know what to do.

"You have to find Merlin. Don't let your sister get to him first!" Cora gave a sad smile and tried to reach her daughter's face.

"Merlin? What does Merlin have to do with that?" Regina was confused; maybe her mother wasn't speaking coherent words anymore.

"He's powerful…he can make anyone powerful too." She strove to say those words between gasps for air.

"If your sister…don't let your sister have control on him…" Cora used her last breaths to warn her daughter and tried to continue:

"If she had, nobody could stop her…only the girl!" Said that, Cora closed her eyes and Regina felt her mother's body relaxing against hers.

"Protect the girl, Regina!" It was the last thing Cora was able to say before her last breathe left her body.

"Mother?" Regina shook her mother desperately. She couldn't believe her mother was dead and it was her fault.

"MOTHER!" She yelled, panic in her voice, tears in her eyes.

"MOTHER!"

"Regina, wake up…wake up! Shhhhh…."

She opened her eyes and met his blue orbs staring down at her, his hands caressing her cheeks softly, her head lying on his lap and she noticed a worried look crossing his face.

"What happened?" She asked and tried to sit down, rubbing a hand on her forehead, still dizzy and confused.

"I think you had a bad dream…with your mother!" He helped her to sit down and put the blanket over her shoulders, pulling her head gently on his shoulder and caressing her hair.

"What was it?"

"Nothing…just…a dream. I'm fine." She lied because for her it had been more than a dream. She could still feel the sensation of magic taking her over and her mother dying on her lap. But she didn't want to talk about that; he was right, it had been just a dream, a bad dream.

"Are you alright?" He asked with concerned eyes.

"Yes, don't worry." She breathed out, trying to convince him.

"We slept on the floor and apparently naked as well"! Regina glanced up, her eyes locking onto Robin who was staring at her carefully. She forced a smile to her face as she tried to change the subject.

"Hmm! Are you complaining, milady? As I can remember, you ripped my shirt off!" Robin knew she had been really affected by that dream but didn't want to upset her or push that subject further. The best thing to do now was letting that go.

"David's shirt!" She corrected him and lifted her face up, pointing her finger to him.

"And as I can remember as well you did the same thing with my dress first." She completed and tilted up an eyebrow.

He rolled them down and stayed on top of her, kissing her passionately.

"Good morning, beautiful." He said, playing with her hair.

"Good morning." She answered with that smile that only her was able to give him.

"I think is still early in the morning. What do you think about us repeating last night?" He started to plant kisses in her jaw and her collarbone.

"You're insatiable, aren't you?" She brought his mouth to hers and started to tease him, biting and licking his lower lip.

"Oh, is that true? Apparently I'm not the only one!" He couldn't resist but bit her lip a little, making her smile again.

Suddenly, between their kisses, they heard a ring.

"Oh no…let that thing ring, Regina!" He complained.

"As much as I want to continue this, I have to answer it. Maybe it's about the people who appeared here yesterday. I'm still the mayor, remember?"

"Shit!" He frowned and made a spoiler child's face, lying down on the ground and rubbing his hands over his face.

"Regina Mills." She answered her phone.

He was hearing the conversation and saw Regina's face becoming pale. She sat down again and he noticed the change of her expression. She didn't say too much over the phone but he could sense that something was really wrong.

"What?" He asked her as she hung up the phone.

She was with her naked back to him and stayed quiet for a moment, not even saying a word or turning around to face him.

"Regina, love…is there something wrong? What is it?" After a moment he asked her again really worried.

Regina took a deep breath and with a sad tone and not even turning around to face him, she said:

"It's Zelena!"

* * *

 **So… Zelena's baby is a girl?**

 **Please, don't kill me (despite that I think they'd do that in OUAT) before you know exactly what I'm doing. Sometimes, things are not exactly what they** **appear** **to be!**

 **Wait and see it!**

 **See you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, dear readers.**

 **Thanks so much for the reviews. I really appreciate that! *-***

 **Thank you, Monica and Gabi. You rock!**

 **I think this is the longest chapter I have written until now.**

 **I'd like to warn you about the angst of this chapter. I promise the next chapters, despite the circumstances our couple have to face, will still have sweet, funny and romantic moments between them.**

 **I think Robin will only fight for Regina if he loses her. That was the original idea of this fanfic and the title was thought based on it.**

 **Don't kill me for now! Hahahaha**

 **I promise Robin will fight for her and our couple will stay together, stronger than never.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 5**

Regina was feeling that something bad was about to happen, she had sensed it and her mother had tried to tell her in that dream. Everything had started to get better; she had a perfect night with Robin, they had talked, they had made love, she had talked about her fears to him. They were fine now, but of course nothing good could last in her life. When something was fine, sooner or later it wouldn't be anymore.

Why couldn't she have a moment of peace?

"We are here." Robin said as he pulled over the car on the hospital's parking lot.

Regina didn't say anything or even looked at him; she was lost in her own thoughts, staring directly at nowhere.

"Regina!" Robin said touching her arm gently and putting her out of her trance.

"Hum?" Regina turned her head and faced him.

"We are here." He repeated softly.

She didn't move, only screwed her eyes shut and sighed deeply. Yes, here they were, ready to face the reality or at least she had to be ready for that, there wasn't any other way.

"Would you rather I went by myself? You can wait for me in the car." He exhaled loud, running a hand through his hair.

He could sense she wasn't fine; after the phone call she hadn't spoken any other word. It was a shock for her, a shock of reality, but Robin had to know what was happening to Zelena. The last thing he wanted was to face that woman, but he had to do that for the baby's sake. He could see Regina was hesitating, so he wouldn't ask her to accompany him. Maybe it was the best if she stayed in the car. She was so happy last night, she was light, had talked to him and had opened herself a little for him. She was even playing and flirting with him, something she hadn't done for a while. Last night, after a long time, they were just them.

Robin took a deep breath and closed the door.

"I'm coming back as soon as I …" But before he could finish, Regina opened the door and headed with large steps to the hospital's entrance.

"Regina, look at me!" Robin reached her and grabbed her arm.

"You know that I love you and we're going to solve whatever is going on together." He said touching her cheeks gently and resting his forehead against hers.

"I know. It's just…for a moment I had forgotten about all this." She looked at him with eyes full of concern.

"Me too." He admitted.

"Well, let's face it." She said after they stayed quiet for a moment, trying to calm down their fears.

Finally, they interlaced their fingers and made their way into the hospital.

* * *

"Come on in." They heard Dr. Whale inviting them to enter his room, as Regina knocked on the door.

"What is happening?" Regina was impatient; she had to know what her wicked sister had done this time.

"Sit down, please." Dr. Whale motioned towards the chairs for them.

"I just called you because things got complicated. Zelena is refusing to take her medicines, the ones that are good for the baby. She is not eating anymore, we had tried a lot of approaches but she is refusing every one of them. And the worst thing is the last ultrasound showed a small anomaly."

"Anomaly with the baby?" Robin asked worried.

"Yes. It's nothing serious for now, it's a growth disorder. We're almost sure it's because she is not eating properly or getting the medicines." Dr. Whale added.

"What are you suggesting?" This time it was Regina asking him.

"Well, she said she wanted to talk to the father of her baby." He said and looked at Robin.

"Maybe you can convince her about the importance of her welfare because the baby's health depends on her. She is almost 15 weeks now and it's a dangerous period for every pregnancy, especially when the woman doesn't take care of herself properly." Dr. Whale completed.

Robin took a deep breath. This was not happening. He had to face Zelena, talk to her and try to convince her to take care of herself. _God!_ He even knew that woman. How should he approach her? He could even look at her in the eyes.

"I'm going with you." Regina pressed his hand gently, looking at him with a timid smile. Maybe she could see the panic in his eyes or the change of his breathing and was trying to reassure him.

"Thank you." He released the breath he even didn't know he was holding. With Regina there, it would be less awkward…or not.

* * *

"Well, well! Look who is here! My dear husband and father of my baby!" Zelena turned around and started to approach Robin.

He stepped away from her instinctively and leaned on the closest wall.

"Did you miss me?" Zelena said with a sarcastic look.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Zelena became angry as she saw Regina entering the room behind Robin.

"Let's say that _I_ missed you!" Regina replied, trying to sound as sarcastic as her sister. She wouldn't let Zelena intimidate her, no matter how much she was hurt or concerned with the complications towards this situation.

"I told them specifically that I wanted to talk to Robin, not to you!" Zelena said angry, pointing a finger to her sister.

"I know but he and I are on this together. Whatever you have to say to him, you'll say to me too, or else you won't have any of us here to listen to you." Regina replied with a warning tone.

Zelena seemed to be not happy with that. She stayed quiet, pacing back and forth.

"Ok, we don't have the whole day. If you don't want to talk, fine. We're going away." Regina turned her back to Zelena and walked towards the door.

"Come on, Robin!" Regina extended her hand to Robin and he grabbed it unhesitatingly, following her.

"Wait! Not so fast! No until I make my requests!" Zelena chuckled gruffly.

"Do you really think you are in a position of making any requests?" Regina scoffed, whirling around, anger seeping through her.

"Oh, I'm sure I am." Zelena put her hands protectively on her stomach and smiled.

"Right, baby?" She kept teasing them and rubbing a hand over her still flat stomach.

"What do you want?" Regina sighed and felt her throat begin to constrict but she wouldn't show any sign of pain, she couldn't… that was what her sister was trying to do, inflict her pain.

"Well, let's make this simple for you. I am not staying in this place anymore." Zelena demanded.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Regina laughed, perplexed at her sister's request.

"No, I'm not, little sis. I'm not spending the rest of my life trapped in this cell." Zelena raised her voice.

"Of course you are. There's no way you're leaving here!" Regina was indignant about Zelena's suggestion.

"So, dear husband…" Zelena said and walked towards Robin.

"What do you think about that?" She stood in front of him and touched his chest, making him freeze.

"Do you want to leave the mother of your child here? Have you spoken with the doctor?" She kept teasing him and he stepped back as soon as he could move again.

"I have!" He whispered and kept his head down, staring at the floor because he couldn't even look at that woman.

"What the hell are you trying to do, Zelena? Blackmail us by using the baby?" Regina interfered and put her body between Robin and her sister.

"Oh, so you finally got my point! Better late than never!" Zelena exclaimed and waved her hands through the air, smiling wickedly.

"Let me clear things to you: either I leave it here and start a normal life for the health of the baby or…" Zelena was clearly out daring them.

"Or what?" Robin asked through clenched teeth and looked at her for the first time.

"Or…the baby won't be born!" She screamed these words with a defiant look.

"You're bluffing, Zelena!" Regina replied, shaking her head no.

"Am I?" She said raising one brow, mocking them.

"I wouldn't bet on that!" Zelena completed.

"Especially if I were the father of this child." She pointed at Robin and her stomach, threatening him and laughing mischievously.

"I can't believe you are capable of hurting an innocent life!" Robin said sadly. He couldn't believe in her words. Or could he?

"But you can, because I already am!" Zelena answered him.

"We don't have a deal, Zelena. As you said, you're using the baby to blackmail us, if you lose it, you won't have any leverage left!" Regina pointed that out and reached fo Robin's hand.

"Come on, Robin! She won't do anything she is saying! She's crazy, not stupid!" Regina completed.

"You'll regret this! Are you listening me? The baby won't be born and it will be your fault, Robin! YOUR FAULT!" Zelena screamed as they left the room. They could hear her screams echoing through the corridors until they left the psychiatric wing.

When they reached for the hospital's doors, Robin froze on the spot.

"Robin, come on!" Regina said and grabbed his forearm, trying to make him move.

He put a hand on his forehead and stared at the floor. Regina could sense he was scared about Zelena's actions.

"It would be my fault, Regina!" He finally spoke.

"Robin, as I said, she is bluffing! That baby is the only thing she has to blackmail us with. Without the baby, she doesn't have anything, not even her magic!" Regina tried to comfort him.

"I hope you're right. Because if something happens, I …"

"Nothing will happen." Regina assured him and squeezed his hand.

As they drove back home, neither of them spoke much. Despite Regina's words, Robin wasn't sure Zelena wouldn't do anything to hurt the baby. Even Regina was worried, she knew Zelena was using the baby against them but at the same time, she also knew her sister was capable of everything. The best they could do was to wait; and they did. As the days passed, they had pretended to forget about Zelena's situation, but of course that ghost kept hunting their minds every single day.

* * *

"What's going on now, Victor? I was in the middle of a meeting!" Regina exclaimed and dropped her bag on the chair in front of his desk.

It had been one week since she came to the hospital and had learnt about her sister condition.

"Please, have a sit."

"No! As I said, I'm busy! I don't know if you've noticed but there are a lot of people in town from another land and I have to deal with it!" She shook her head no and complained frustrated.

Regina was completely irritated. Emma and she had been sorting out issues that had arisen among the new townspeople. They still didn't know why those people were on town or how Merlin had brought them there, nor for what. They didn't even know who Merlin was. She did a lot of research and interviews, but always ended up with nothing useful. In addition to that, she was still having some trouble using her magic and her relationship with Robin had been stressful. They were avoiding the subject of Zelena, but that didn't mean they weren't worried or fearing about her condition and especially the baby's. And, apparently now, there was something bad coming again.

 _Great. Just great!_

"Regina, sit down, please!" Dr. Whale emphasized.

She snorted but sat on the chair.

"There's a problem…" He started to speak.

"Really? Oh, that's new!" She said sarcastically.

"Regina, Zelena almost lost the baby last night!" He got directly to the point.

"What?!" She exclaimed, widening her eyes.

But before Dr. Whale could explain about specific details, they were interrupted by Robin, who was breathless and entering the room.

"Sorry, I came as fast as I could!" He took a seat right next to Regina and squeezed her hand.

"Are you alright?" He asked, looking into her eyes as he noticed her hands were cold and shaking. She immediately darted her eyes away.

"Good you are here, Mr. Locksley. Now I only have to tell the news once!" Dr. Whale said, grabbing some papers.

"Here it is the last of Zelena's exams." He continued and put the papers on his desk, in front of them.

"Wait! What is going on?" Robin said really worried about the doctor's attitude.

"I was explaining to Regina that Zelena almost lost the baby last night…"

"What?" Robin inclined forward on his chair, eyes shining with fear.

"Let me finish, please! As I warned you last week, she is refusing to eat properly, she is not taking the medicines and, I don't know what really happened, but I'm almost sure she tried to cause an abortion last night."

"What? She did what? How?" Robin was shocked, not believing she could do such a thing.

"We don't know how, but when the nurses heard her screams, they came to her room and found her on the floor, bleeding. At first, we thought it was a normal spotting because pregnant women usually have some blood losses on their first trimester. But after we ran some tests, we noticed the bleeding was caused by something else, maybe magic, we're not sure." Dr. Whale concluded.

"But she's using the bracelet, she can't perform magic." Robin rubbed a hand on his forehead and tried to control his nerves.

"The nurses said they have seen her trying to take off the bracelet a several times." The doctor affirmed.

"Maybe she couldn't do that and got frustrated, or she had to use a lot of strength…" Whale put forward the possibilities.

"So you're suggesting she caused that?" Robin asked with teary eyes.

"Probably, but we don't know how." Dr. Whale added.

"I called you here because we don't know what to do to her. We had to transfer her to a regular room with the equipment required to stabilize her condition. But we had to tie her down!" Dr. Whale concluded.

"Is she tied? What about the baby?" Robin said in a panic tone, standing up.

"This is not happening!" Robin exclaimed and put his hand on his head.

"The baby is fine for now, not completely healthy as recommended but we have to know what to do next. I know it's a delicate situation but if she stays here, we can't guarantee anything. We can't take the responsibility; it's not ours, it's yours." Dr. Whale finally concluded.

For this whole time Regina stayed in silence, she didn't say a word nor moved any muscle of her body. She was hearing everything but couldn't process the words properly. She sensed that something bad was coming; she just knew it since the beginning, since she learned about her sister's pregnancy.

They could try to ignore it but one day the reality would charge its preic, and that day was today. What was Regina supposed to do now? What was she supposed to say? She didn't know, but of one thing she was sure: if Zelena was free, the troubles would be worse. Who could guarantee that even free she wouldn't try to hurt the baby? She couldn't believe Zelena had kept her promise on hurting the baby. Even in her Evil Queen's days, Regina would never hurt her own baby…Or would she? Would she hurt her own baby for revenge?

 _Would you, Regina? Would you? You drank that potion, didn't you?_

"Regina! Regina!" Robin was the one who took her away from her abstraction.

"Hum?" She had no idea what Robin was talking about.

"What are we going to do?" He asked her with a sad and desperate face.

 _Yes, that's a good question. What were they supposed to do now?_

"Let's see her first!" She cleared her throat before speak, stood up, lifted her head up, blinked away the unshed tears and finally said something reasonable. She had to be strong right now, no matter how broke and desperate she was inside.

* * *

The scenery wasn't pretty: Zelena was lying on a hospital's bed with a lot of pipes into her mouth and nose and with her wrists and legs tied to the rails.

Zelena had caused that to herself, and worst, she had caused that to the baby. However, Regina couldn't help but feel sorry for the baby. How could the child be raised by Zelena?

" _Don't let your sister hurt the baby, Regina."_

Cora's words came to her mind and she couldn't understand them until right now. But how could Regina raise that baby by herself? She was not its mother and she was sure her sister would never allow that.

"Regina, we can't leave her like that!" Robin gulped and turned his attention for her.

"What do you suggest? Do you have a better idea?" She said but didn't turn her face to him. She couldn't stop staring at the woman laid on the bed; for that moment she even forgot how to blink, she was just staring and wondering about one thousand of things at the same time.

"We have to take her out of here!" Robin answered her as if that was the obvious and easy answer for the problem.

" _She'll find a way to get out of there sooner or later_."

Her mother's words kept echoing in her mind again and again. Was her mother right? Of course she was, Regina was naïve by thinking that her sister would accept being stuck in a mental institution and not do anything to get out of there.

"There's no way she is leaving this hospital, Robin. That woman is dangerous." Regina pointed that out and shook her head no.

"She is using the bracelet, Regina. She can't perform magic anymore." He replied.

"With or without the bracelet, it doesn't matter. She can do bad things without using magic. Don't you see? She's doing all that to get out of here. I'm sure she has a plan!" She barked back, with a furious look on her face. Her mother was right, she had been underestimating Zelena.

"Regina, I think you are overreacting…" But Regina lifted her hand towards him, cutting his words and spinning around as if she had been burnt.

"Overreacting? You can't be serious!" She gave a sarcastically laugh, raising up an eye brow and shooting the most disapproving look towards him.

"We are talking about Zelena! Do I have to remember you what she has done?" She pointed her finger at him as she shouted.

"Oh right, I think I do! That woman went back in time, killed Marian, took her identity, pretended to be her, had sex with you and got pregnant!" She reiterated angrily.

"And now she almost lost the baby because of herself! Don't you see? She has done everything for revenge against me! Do you really think she's done with her plan? I really doubt that!" Regina scoffed and shook her head, still discredited of his words.

"I think she's done! She is pregnant and that's why we can't leave her tied like that until the baby is born! We have to take her out of here for the sake of my child, Regina!" He was trying to make Regina understand his point of view and the gravity of Zelena's condition.

" _You have to protect the girl, Regina."_

Regina wanted to scream and get her mother's words away from her mind. Easy to say that when was not you in her position. How could she protect the girl against her own mother? This couldn't be worse or could it? The girl was Regina's niece. No! She was her soulmate's daughter!

Regina sharply turned to him and could see the look of disapproval towards her. She groaned in frustration, shaking her head defeated. Did she deserve that? Maybe she did, as payment for her cruelties in the past but it didn't mean she would be fine with that.

"And then what? Put her inside my house? Oh, let's put her in my bedroom, I think that is the best option, right?"

 _Was that her happy ending?_

Regina was furious with him! She understood the situation, she wasn't stupid, but she couldn't help but feel frustrated. Her mind was a mess of contradictory thoughts and voices telling her either to set Zelena free or not. At least in the hospital, she was being taken care of, and the baby as well; but it seemed neither of them were fine now. However, having her sister outside it would be worse, she was sure about that; Zelena could hurt the baby, or Henry, or Roland. That was definitively not a good idea; Zelena had to stay there at least while the baby wasn't born.

 _Why, on heavens, did he get her sister pregnant anyway?_

 _Couldn't he keep his cock inside his pants for more than a week?_

He was there by her side, looking at Zelena tied by her wrists to the hospital bed, trying to convince her to give freedom to her wicked sister. Of course Regina knew that was a delicate situation to deal with, she wasn't a cold person anymore but they couldn't just let Zelena go out and do whatever she had planned in her insane mind.

Robin kept babbling about the risks of Zelena's conditions, about the risks towards the baby, about her being tied down, about her abortion attempt, about Regina being too rational, about how they'd handle that…

Regina was snorting, she couldn't understand herself anymore. She knew it wasn't entirely Robin's fault but she couldn't help it! He was asking her to fix his own mess.

 _I didn't impregnate the wicked witch, you did! Now, handle that yourself!_

She couldn't listen anymore! Her head was spinning and she started to feel dizzy, disgusted by that damn situation. A burning sensation was beginning to sting at the corner of her eyes and she was trying to blink away the unshed tears.

"Please, Regina…Try to understand, it's my baby too." Robin tried to reach her hands but she immediately stepped back.

" _Open your eyes, he has never chosen you."_

She was dizzy, panting, a sense of fear and weakness took over her. She wanted to disappear but she couldn't do that. Her magic had been affected by some strange power. Maybe it was Merlin, but she didn't know. _Dammit!_ She missed her purple smoke and her fireballs. Instinctively, Regina raised her hands, took a deep breath and concentrated. She wanted to disappear; she had to. She couldn't deal with this anymore, it was too much!

Unfortunately she couldn't do such a thing. Her magic was weak and it seemed that it was draining all her energies every time she tried to perform it. Her whole body was shaking and she tried to support herself as she felt her knees getting weak.

"Regina, what are you doing?" Robin was frowning and totally confused but he was able to catch her trembling body before she collapsed.

"I … I …"

These were her last words before everything went dark.

* * *

"Thank God! I'm glad you're awake, milady!" Were the first words Regina could hear, as she was trying to open her eyes.

She was still dizzy and her head was spinning.

 _Where was she? What had happened?_

She was confused. She tried to look around in attempt to recognize something but failed.

"Easy, easy, Regina!" She could feel Robin hands gently pushing her back to bed.

"What….what happened?" She was still disoriented. She was in a hospital bed.

 _Wait? What?_

The last thing she remembered was Zelena in a hospital bed. And now she was? What the hell happened?

"You collapsed!" He said and stroked her cheeks tenderly.

"Why? For how long?" She was trying to understand what was going on with her.

"For almost two hours. Dr. Whale is running some tests but he thinks it was a stress crisis or a panic attack." Robin was caressing her cheeks with lovely eyes and telling her the doctor's words.

"I'm sorry, Regina. This is my fault. You didn't have to go through this if I had made the right choices." Robin said as he was trying to restrain the tears in his eyes.

"Robin…" But before she could say anything else, Dr. Whale entered the room.

"Regina, may I speak with you?"

" Yes, of course." She answered him.

"In private." He emphasized, looking directly at Robin.

"You can tell her anything with me in this room, Dr. Whale! Regina and I don't keep secrets from each other!" Robin affirmed, really confused and worried.

As soon as Regina saw Victor's look, she knew something really bad was happening to her. Victor knew Regina for a long time and she was certain that if he wanted to talk to her in private, then she had to do just that.

"Robin, can you wait outside, please?" She squeezed his hands gently.

"No! Of course not! I'll stay here until I know what is going on!" Robin was furious, but determined.

"Robin, please! Do this for me!" Regina asked him with that look, that look she knew he couldn't resist.

He held her hands firmly and looked at her with a comprehensive face.

"Do you promise you will tell me what's wrong with you? I need to know, please!" He begged at her.

"Yes, I do." She said and kissed his right cheek.

"Alright then, I trust you!" Robin said and left the room, but closed the door with a bang that could be heard throughout the whole hospital.

Regina closed her eyes and finally spoke:

"So, what's wrong with me?"

* * *

Regina was resting her head on the pillow staring at the celling and trying to assimilate everything Victor had said to her. She knew something was wrong, but she couldn't imagine…

"Regina! Oh God, are you alright? What did the doctor say to you?" Robin broke into the room breathless and took her hands in his.

"I'm alright." She sighed and gave him a sad smile.

"What do you mean? You collapsed and the doctor wanted to speak with you in private!" Robin replied.

Regina cleared her throat and opened her mouth but she didn't know what she was supposed to tell him. She shook her head and screwed her eyes shut to keep the tears she felt forming in the corners at bay.

"Regina, are you sick?" Robin was desperate to know the truth.

She stiffened and scrubbed a hand over her face. She went quietly momentarily, contemplating how she should answer. In the past, she felt she could tell him anything but now everything had changed.

"No, I am not. I just need to rest for a while. And then, I'll be 100%!" She tried to convince him.

He sighed, clenched his jaw a little whilst looking her in the eyes. He breathed but didn't seem convinced.

"Are you sure? " He held her face and looked inside her eyes but she quickly darted hers them away.

"Yes. Don't worry, I'm fine, Robin!"

"Really? So, why aren't you looking at me in the eyes?" He replied with a little irritation because right now there was definitely something she was not telling him.

He stared at her trying to figure out what she was not telling him but he also noticed that she was tired, really tired. He had done that to her, he had thrown all these problems in her life. He loved her but he couldn't stop to upsetting her.

"I'm sorry to drag you into this." He said and she sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back on the pillow.

"Robin, I just need to rest. That's all. Can you please leave me alone for a while?" She said, still with eyes closed and turned her body to the opposite side.

Robin observed her carefully. He wanted to tell her a lot of things. She still hadn't told him the whole truth and he knew that. But for now, he just squeezed her shoulder carefully, kissed the side of her head and left the room.

When Regina heard the doors closing, she gulped but couldn't control her tears anymore. So she let them fall willingly.

* * *

The week that followed was the longest of Regina's life. She was currently in her office in the middle of a meeting. King Arthur was still trying to find his sword but none of them knew how they came to Storybrooke yet. While people were talking endlessly about thousands of ways to solve their current situation, Regina's thoughts remained elsewhere, no matter how she had tried not to let her mind wander back to that.

After the incident in the hospital last week, Regina was doing alright but every time someone had tried to talk to her about what had happened, she immediately changed the subject. She wasn't ready to speak about that with no one, especially with Robin. He hadn't brought up the Zelena's problem again and she knew it was because he was worried about her reaction. She didn't even know how Zelena was doing, but truth to be told, she didn't care about that now. She had a lot of problems to deal with; she had to take care of herself first. But in order to do that, she had to stop to worrying so much about her sister and her baby. She knew she had to face it soon or later, but she preferred later.

"Regina and I can take care of that. Right, Regina?" Emma asked her but Regina didn't listen anything.

"Regina! Hey! Wake up!" Emma called her again.

"Hum…I'm sorry! What did you say?" Regina answered after shaking her head, trying to concentrate on the meeting.

"I said you and I could take care of the magic part. We need to know who Merlin is. Do you think you can make a locator spell?"

"Well, I'd need something that belonged to Merlin. Has anybody got anything?" Regina asked King Arthur.

"Unfortunately, as I told you, nobody ever saw his real face. So, I doubt anyone has something of his." He signed.

"In that case, a locator spell is impossible! We have to think of something else." Regina replied.

"What about Gold? He can feel a magic presence, can't he? " Emma asked.

"Yes, he could but right now he is not the Dark One anymore. I don't know if he still has this ability." Regina answered.

"Well, I'm going to check it out. Killian, let's go! I'll let you know, Regina!" Emma said and left the office with Hook.

"Is everything alright?" Arthur asked Regina with a worried face.

Regina had found that it was easy to have a conversation with him. He was a nice and kind man, a gentleman. Regina was feeling a little guilty because she couldn't help him properly due to her personal issues. He was on a strange land with his people and they didn't know anything about the modern world or how they could go back to their land, but he was a patient and reasonable man. He had never showed any kind of irritation or despair; even if they still didn't have any solution for the situation. He was an exemplary king.

"Yes, it is." Regina lied and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you!"

"You didn't. I was supposed to be the one asking for your forgiveness. I'm the mayor, I should have been more committed to this problem, but…" He cut her, reaching for her hand and squeezing them gently.

"You're doing everything you can." He said looking at her in the eyes.

"No, I'm not." Her eyes were watering.

Why was she so sentimental? Oh right! She knew the answer but she hated to be like that anyway. She had always been a strong woman. A defiant one. She had never been weak in her life nor the kind of woman who demonstrated her emotions in front of people.

But Arthur was different, he had made her feel valued and had become her friend. He didn't demand explanations nor put her into frustrating situations. He understood her. He just waited for when she was ready to talk, and if she wasn't, he wouldn't complain. They had talked a lot since he and his people had mysteriously appeared in the town. They had talked about his land, Camelot, and about his battles. He was a king on his land, so Regina had a lot in common with him. He was strong, righteous and understanding with his people. Regina could see that from the way he managed his folks and she admired him. Actually, she was learning a lot from him.

She had been a queen but an evil one, because of revenge, she couldn't command her land the right way. She had told him about her dark days as Evil Queen and why she became that person, about how she commanded her people, only by inflicting fear. Now she could see that: her mistakes. But she was still the mayor of the town, so it wasn't late for managing the issues correctly this time.

Regina had been enjoying Arthur's company, she felt lighter with him. And, to be fair, he had been the only one that could make Regina laugh for these past two weeks. She needed this light to distract her mind from her personal issues. His touch was steady and reassuring and she was really appreciating their friendship.

He had told her about a woman, with whom he had been in love for a long time, but also that he was willing to move on. He had said that that woman didn't love him but someone else, and he was now tired of waiting for her, for a love he couldn't have. He was a damaged man with a broken heart and that Regina could understand it perfectly.

However, she could sense he was falling for her little by little. He had said she was the most beautiful queen of the all lands he had met in his life. She had warned him about her situation with Robin, not about the whole situation she was going through, only pieces of it. He said he understood and he had been respecting her but that didn't prevent him from flirting with her on a few occasions. Regina didn't want to hurt him, that was never her intention. He didn't deserve to have his heart broken again, and this time, by her. She thought about keeping some distance from him but at the same time, she wanted him close. She was conflicted because their friendship was important tor her, especially right now.

"Regina, I don't know exactly what you're facing right now because you're not telling me everything but I can see it's complicated." He said to her and squeezed her hands tight.

"I feel for you because I have been in your place for a long time." He placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.

Regina gave him a confused look, not completely understanding his suggestion.

"I have told about Guinevere and I know how it is to love someone and have the feeling not be mutual." He looked into her eyes and there was sadness and compassion in his voice.

"I have never told you that Robin didn't love me." She bit out with a little anger because despite of his attempt to comfort her. Deep down, she knew that maybe he was just pointing the obvious and that irritated her, but at least he had the courage to speak of it out loud.

"You didn't have to." He pointed out.

She could have given him several explanations right now, she could yell at him or send him out but she only stood quietly listening. Truth to be told, she didn't even know about Robin's feelings for her anymore. She knew he loved her, didn't he? But she wasn't sure about his choices and that was why she had this internal drama in the first place. If he had given her the certainty that he'd stay with her no matter what, if she had been sure about that …but she wasn't.

"I know it's none of my concern but when you love someone, you don't give up so easily like he did with you."

"Arthur…" She knew that, but listening someone else telling her this truth out loud made the pain even more real.

"I know…you don't want to talk about that but I care for you and your relationship with him is hurting you a lot. This is not right."

"As you said, that is none of your concern." She retorted quickly and tried to avoid his eyes.

"It's not…But I can see the fear and pain you're carrying in your eyes and as your friend, I just want to help you."

"I know…." Regina glanced up, her eyes locking onto his who was watching her carefully.

"I just don't want to talk about that because it hurts." She nodded her head no, her eyes drifted close.

"I'm so sorry…" He closed the distance between them and cupped her face, caressing her cheeks softly.

"I didn't want to hurt you. I'm an idiot." The look on his face was carrying regret for what the weight of his words had caused on her and he immediately wanted take them back, afraid that she would hate him for it.

"I wasn't supposed to say those things to you and I'm just guessing here since you told me what he had done. But I don't even know him, not to mention his feelings for you. I'm sorry, I was wrong."

"Maybe you were not wrong and maybe you are not the idiot here." She forced a sarcastic smile on her face.

"Of course I was wrong! What man on this or any other land could not love you?" He said, making her blush and leaning her face away from his touch.

"Sometimes our feelings can blind us, I understand. But idiot? You are definitely not!" He tried to light the mood because he couldn't stand to see her sad like that.

"Thank you?" She raised her left brow and gave an amused smirk.

"Did you have lunch today?" He glared at her.

"I wasn't hungry." Regina stiffened, fearing the health subject was coming up again.

"Well, as you said, the doctor warned you about your meals and now are you not eating properly again?" He insisted.

"Since when you're babysitting on me?" She chuckled shyly, trying to avoid more concerns right now.

"I care about you and I want to be sure you're taking care of yourself. Tomorrow we're having lunch together while we continue our research!" He pointed a finger at her.

"If that can make you stop bothering me, fine!" She mocked.

"I'm flattered, milady." He put a hand on his heart and pretended to be offended and they both smiled.

Before she could say anything else, her assistant knocked on the door.

"Madam Mayor, before you go home, I need some signatures."

They looked at her and Arthur said before he left her office:

"You know where to find me. Please, don't hesitate to go after me if you need, alright?" He squeezed her hands again.

"Thank you, Arthur. You're a good friend." Regina said.

He stood up, leaned towards her and whispered close to her ear:

"Well, I think I made my intentions pretty clear for you…"

"Arthur…" She said and kept her head down in embarrassment.

"I know, I know! You're not available, you're taken and I respect that. I'm late, sorry your majesty?" He was raising one brow eye, with his hands up in defeat.

"You are the only one that could make me laugh right now." Regina said with a shyly smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. See you tomorrow." He said and kissed her knuckles. Then, he left the office.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you but there are some papers you have to sign before you leave." Her assistant said once again.

"Of course, Ashley!"

Regina signed and signed a lot of papers and then something caught her attention.

"Ashley, what is this?" Regina questioned her assistant.

"Oh, this is a rent contract. I don't know if you remember but you have a lot of built properties in the town and…"

"I know I have them, Ashley. I am asking about the person who wants to rent this specific house. There must have been a mistake here!" Regina said and pointed out the signature on that contract, widening her eyes.

"No, there's no mistake. The contract is perfectly right." Ashley replied.

"No, it's not!" Regina argued, a tension was growing fast inside her.

"I'm sure this is a mistake. Please, correct it!" Regina gave the orders because she couldn't believe what she was seeing; she was beginning to get desperate.

"I'm sorry. When I saw that, I contacted the real state and they assured me the contract is perfectly legal and correct!" Ashley retorted.

Regina signed and put a hand on her mouth, staring at the contract. The urge to cry and let desperation take over her was tremendous but she was a strong woman and she tried to hold on and stay calm.

"You don't have to sign it. It's your house and if you don't want to rent it to him…" But before Ashley could complete, Regina cut her.

"I'll talk to you in the morning! You're dismissed!" Regina put her mayor's mask and waved for Ashley leave the office.

 _He didn't do this! He didn't! Please!_

Regina was repeating that to herself like a mantra. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and that it wasn't a mistake. A burning sensation was beginning to sting at the corner of her eyes and she tried to blink away the unshed tears. Her throat began to constrict. She was shaking, her lips and hands were trembling. The panic seeped back into her and she had to calm down.

She scrubbed a hand over her face and screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to wake up from this nightmare. But unfortunately, when she opened her eyes again, it was still there, on her desk, mocking her. A contract with his signature in it. He did it. It wasn't a nightmare. And he did that behind her back. He had betrayed her.

* * *

Robin was driving home and trying to figure out a way to tell Regina about what he had done. He had been trying to tell her for three days but he didn't even know where he should start it from. She was still recovering and he could see she wasn't completely fine, despite her efforts to convince him of the opposite. They hadn't talked about what happened in the hospital anymore but he could see she was taking some medicines and that she was getting better. At least physically better. So the last thing Robin wanted right now was to hurt or upset her. He had been waiting for her total recovery first.

If he were to bring up this delicate subject, he knew she would freak out again. He loved her and he was worried about her condition but he sensed he couldn't hide that from her anymore. She had to find out about that from him.

He knew Regina wouldn't approve of his actions, he was certain about that. But he had to do what he had done, there hadn't been another way. It was a risk, of course. He was aware of that but what else was he supposed to do? He had to act, he had to do something…So he did. Maybe it wasn't the best option but it had been the only one available.

He pulled over the car in the garage and took a deep breath. Maybe today he could tell her the truth. He couldn't look into her eyes anymore knowing what he was hiding from her, she didn't deserve to be deceived by him.

The lights of her house were off, the only light was coming from the kitchen.

 _Where were the boys?_

The house was completely silent, so the boys were definitely not at home.

He imagined that Regina could be preparing their dinner and the boys were at Mary Margaret's. Maybe that would be a good opportunity to talk to her without any disturbance.

He made his way to the kitchen and saw her sitting on a chair, with her head between her hands and staring at a paper on the table. She either didn't even noticed he was there or she pretended that she hadn't seen him. Instinctively, he stopped by the threshold, shrugged and put his hands on his pockets, felling that something bad was definitively going on.

"Milady?" He tried to break the silence but she stood still.

 _What the hell was going on?_

"Regina." He tried again and this time she raised her head slowly and looked at him with puffy and red eyes.

Robin gulped and felt his throat begin to tighten. None of them was able to say anything for a moment. An awkward silence hovered in the air, as they remained staring at each other for what appeared to be an entire life. Finally, he decided to break the silence.

"What is it? Is there something wrong?" He asked her in the most understanding way he could.

She didn't say anything; just slid the paper across the table for him to see it.

"It's signed." She said, her heart was in her throat but she was trying to stand strong.

"The deal is closed. You're the new tenant of the house!" She said that as firmly as she could but Robin noticed she was building her walls around her.

He looked at her with a half opened mouth and saw that she was wearing her regal mask. The mask she only used when she was afraid of getting hurt or when she had already been hurt. Robin blinked several times trying to assimilate her words.

 _What deal was she talking about?_

He took the papers and looked at them. For a moment, he froze and she could see the shock and despair in his eyes when he realized it was a contract, a rental contract. He frowned and shook his head but before he could say anything she narrowed her eyes and said with the surliest tone she could find inside herself.

"Are you surprised, dear? I invented this town and I have a lot of property here, not only this house." She said, waving her hands around the kitchen.

"Regina…" He tried to say something but she wasn't listening.

"Can you image my surprise when I had to sign this contract of one of my properties and I saw your name on it?" She clapped her hands in her lap and scoffed.

"Regina, I can …" But she didn't hear him again.

"At first, I thought it was a mistake! It had to be! Considering you've been practically living here with me for two months! Besides, you have your tent at the forest!" She continued gruffly.

"So, what did you need another house for? For what, Robin?" She stood up, walking towards him and faced him with a furious and disappointed expression.

"I can explain, Regina. I was going to…" He tried but she interrupted him again.

"Really? When? Let me guess, after you had put the mother of your baby inside that house? Or once you two were living together?" She huffed loudly.

He went quiet momentarily, carefully contemplating how he should answer her.

"I had never thought about living with that woman! Regina, please listen …" Robin said and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"And there's more! I went to the hospital and Dr. Whale said that you signed as Zelena's new responsible!" She was pacing back and forth, bewildered.

"Surprise again!" Regina said totally outraged.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to control her nerves. She was sighing loudly and running a hand through her hair.

"How could you do that to me, Robin? Why did you betray me? Why?" Her voice broke but she couldn't break right in front of him.

"There wasn't another way." He tried to approach her but she stepped back and put a protective hand in front of her.

"You wouldn't listen to me! Besides, you were not in condition, Regina!" She could sense the regret in his voice but right now she couldn't care less.

"I'm sorry." He sighed hard. He didn't know how he could explain it to her without making her angrier than she already was.

"You're sorry?" She gave a mock laugh.

"What are you sorry for? Giving up on me so easily? Moving on so fast with your new life in New York?" She gave a little scoff and continued:

"Getting that woman pregnant? Or for betraying me and renting a house for her behind my back?" She snapped, staring at him as he tried to open his mouth but no words came out. He could feel his throat constricting. He could feel a flame burning him from inside out, warning him of what could come next.

"What are you sorry for, Robin?" She emphasized and huffed demandingly.

"I thought I would never see you again!" He said with apologetic eyes, looking directly at her.

"And I thought she was Marian!" He completed, gesticulating his hand nervously.

"Does it change what you did?" She replied him coldly.

"Please, try to understand my …" He tried but failed again.

"Understand?" She was indignant by his words.

"More understanding than I've already had been? It's impossible!" She yelled and blinked away the unshed tears.

"Try to put yourself in my place. I thought I'd never see you again. That's why I decided to move on!" He said, increasing his tone.

"Maybe I knew you would have done that, but I never imagined you could move on so easily! Not as fast as you did!" She barked back and leaned her head to the side, looking at his eyes with angry and frustration.

"How could I be such an idiot?" She let out a quickly laugh, shaking her head.

"While I was here trying to get you back, trying to rewrite my story… _our story_ , you were there moving on and bedding another woman!" Regina ran a hand through her hair and chuckled sadly.

Meanwhile, Robin stood quietly listening. What he could say to comfort her? He had given up on her without even trying to fight against the circumstances. She was right. He had been a coward.

"You were there, Robin…screaming her name as you came!" She blurted sadly and couldn't prevent her tears running anymore.

"And only one week after you had chosen ME!" She pointed a finger to herself, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He looked down because he couldn't watch the woman he loved so much hurt like that, knowing that he was the responsible for causing her all that suffering.

"You never called me, not even to say you were fine, that you were alive!" She continued, taking a deep breath.

Now, she'd said everything to him. Every thought that had been hunting her since the day she had gone to New York to save him and had faced _his new reality_.

 _Save him? He was fine there, Regina! Maybe you should have left him there!_

She shook her head and added:

"You didn't even try!" She screamed out, with the all air of her lungs.

"So, Robin…. You try to put _yourself_ in _my_ place! Do you think this is fair?" She smiled bitterly and turned her face away from him.

Robin didn't know what to say. He had done this to her. He had moved on. He had even erased her phone number. He never tried to make any contact with her. He had chosen the easy way.

 _Why hadn't he thought about finding a way back to her? How wrong had he been?_

He could see that now. He felt his breath rate increasing and his heart pounding faster inside his chest. He had hurt her badly and maybe there was no way to fix that. Only the thought of that, made tears sprout in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He whispered because he couldn't find the strength to say the same excuse again louder than that.

"I made the wrong choice again, I know that! But it wasn't easy for me neither, Regina!" He exclaimed desperate.

"Really? I can imagine you despair while you were fucking my sister!" She said ironically and wiped away the tears from her cheeks.

"I was trying to make the right thing for Roland!" He said with sad eyes.

"Please! Don't put on your son's shoulder the burden of your own mistakes." She loved Roland and she understood the boy deserved to have a mother but she couldn't accept that Robin was using the boy to justify his own actions.

"You said that your life in New York was your new reality that I had to accept that!" She replicated his own words, the words that were now still echoing in her mind.

"I only went there because I thought you were in danger but you were obviously not!" She chuckled sadly and turned her back to him. She couldn't face him anymore. She couldn't let him see her weak like that again. He didn't deserve to see her suffering for him.

Robin closed his eyes and he could sense her pain. He had hurt her in a way that he thought he never would. He had hurt his soulmate deeply and he didn't know if that could be repaired. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and beg for her forgiveness but he was afraid to complicate the situation even further.

"I'm so sorry!" He whispered again with tears running down his cheeks. He could sense he was losing her forever and there was nothing he could do.

"I had never meant to hurt you. I love you!" He spoke and dared to grab her waist to hold her tightly. He couldn't lose her; he'd never admitted that, he couldn't live without her.

"Don't you dare to touch me!" She screamed and pushed him away immediately.

"Regina, don't…please!" He begged her and a sob of pain escaped from his lips.

"The only thing I wanted was you fighting for me, but you never did, Robin!" She completed.

"Maybe I'm giving a Snow White speech about hope right now but you gave me hope! You gave me our page, Robin." She said and took the page out of her coat's pocket, showing to him.

"I believed it! I believed the Evil Queen could be happy! How fool was I?" Regina couldn't control her tears once more, so she let them fall freely down her face.

"Regina, we can still be happy! We can!" Robin replied and tried to approach her again.

This time she let him do it because she was weak from fighting. He was cupping her cheeks and blue eyes met brown.

"No, we can't!" She whispered, yes down and red.

"You're a man of honor and your honor doesn't lie with me!" She said and let him touch her cheeks and wipe out her tears.

"But I love you, Regina! You know this is true!" He said with his whole heart and soul, stroking her cheeks tenderly with his thumbs.

He knew he had hurt her but he couldn't see her crying like that.

"Sometimes love is not enough!" She replied and stepped away from him again, avoiding his contact.

"Look, Robin…I understand! I really do! Zelena caught you in her wicked plan for revenge against me. She used you and this is my fault!" She held the table's edges and looked at him with sincerity in her eyes.

"But…it still hurts! And I am not going to lie to you! I'm tired to pretend that everything is fine because it's not! Every time I see that baby, I'll remember this!" She admitted.

"We can do this together, like you said when we came back!" He replied. His eyes were begging to her not to leave him alone on this.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore!" She looked at their page and started to knead it.

"And now Zelena will be free. She'll be here reminding me and throwing everything at my face every day!" She looked down and shook her head.

"What do you mean? Can't you forgive me?" He widened his eyes but he couldn't control his desperation anymore.

"I forgive you!" She said and he let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

However, she completed.

"But we can't stay together anymore!" She said and screwed her eyes shut.

Suddenly, she straightened herself, wiped away her tears and created a fireball.

Robin's eyes widened not because he was afraid of her but because he knew exactly what she was intending to do.

"Regina, no! Please! Don't do this!" He approached her but it was too late: she had already set fire to their page.

"Listen, tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it!" He said with watering eyes, looking at the ashes of the symbol of their connection.

"I will do everything to fix this! But, please…. don't leave me!" He reached for her hands and squeezed them. He couldn't stop touching her. He had to feel her. He had to feel her body's warmth, even if that was his last chance of doing it.

"As I said, your honor doesn't lie with me. You'll always choose your honor first! You're man of honor and I admire that!" She said with understanding eyes and put her hands over his.

"But right now, I can't deal with this anymore! I have to think about my …" She looked down and closed her yes. Despite all her emotions, she had to concentrate about her next words. She had to be rational. Regina took a deep breath and continued.

"I have to think about my health! And this situation is getting me ill! I can't do this anymore!" She admitted to him and let her head down but still kept the warmth of his hands for the last time.

"I can give you some time for you to think about it and then we can talk again!" He didn't want to lose her. Not again. He could do everything to keep her by his side. She was the love of his life!

"No! That is my final decision and I won't change my mind!" She said the words Robin was waiting for but wouldn't admit to himself. It was like a pang in his heart.

"You can't be serious!" His breathing was faster than it never had ever been in his life.

He couldn't admit that this was their end. It was a nightmare...It had to be! He could feel his heart beating fast. He started to feel dizzy, his head was spinning.

 _No!_

He didn't know what to do! But he couldn't accept that. He just…couldn't. He couldn't lose this woman. But what else could he do? What? He stroke her cheeks and leaning his forehead against hers, trying to make her understand that this could never happen. They were soulmates; one part couldn't live without the other one. But why had he tried to live without her in New York? How stupid was he? Why had he inflicted so much pain on her?

 _Why, Robin? Why?_

He didn't know. Maybe because it was the easiest path or maybe because he was so convinced that he would never meet her again that he opted for it. But, deeply, he knew the easiest path was not the right one. Now he could see it in the worst way possible. He was losing the woman of his life and he knew he had caused that.

"I am serious!" She said and he knew it. He knew this would be her answer.

What else could she have done? He gave up on her so easily. She was right and he knew she was. He didn't deserve her. He kept saying he loved her but he didn't fight for her. Now he had to live with that, with his wrong choices and weakness.

"I'm going to pack your stuff and you can take them by the morning!" She finally spoke, whirling herself out of his touch.

"Regina…" He breathed her name out.

"Robin, if you love me the way you're saying you do, please respect my decision!" She said, emphatically.

"Now, the only thing I'm concerned about is Roland. I want to make sure that this situation won't affect him negatively."

"He is used to be here and if you agree, he can still be here whenever he want to." Her voice was cold and she was trying to hold on and stay calm, despite the immense pain she was feeling inside her chest.

That was it, it was over. He sighed, clenched his jaw a little whilst looking her in the eyes. He could see she wasn't hesitating, she had made her decision and he understood her reasons. But why was it so difficult to let her go? She wouldn't be by his side anymore, he wouldn't smell her sweet perfume invading his nostrils nor her warm body cuddling perfectly with his at night, he wouldn't push his fingers into her hair nor kiss her perfect and hot mouth anymore.

 _No!_

He closed his eyes and swallowed, his heart pounding faster in his chest. He was losing the woman of his life but he wouldn't let her suffer anymore, he had to free her from him. She didn't deserve the damage he had caused her.

"Alright…" He managed to say that despite his despair.

With time, he'd show her he could be a better man, a man who deserved her love and didn't put her feelings below anything.

"Roland loves to be here with you and Henry." He said, clearing his throat and trying to stay strong.

"Good. He doesn't need to know yet that we're not together anymore."

"Are you sure this is your final decision?" He had to ask her again to really believe that this was not a bad dream or that he had understood everything wrong.

 _We're not together anymore!_

He was listening but still not processing her words. That could not be their new truth.

"Yes, it is!" She whispered and he froze for a moment.

He'd respect her decision but this time, he wouldn't give up on her, no matter how hard it would be to get her back.

He approached her, tears streaming down their cheeks. Instinctively, he closed the distance and wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her into his chest. She was startled at first, but then relaxed against his body, hiding her face on the crock of his neck and taking in his smell into her nostrils.

After a moment, he leaned back and they touched their foreheads together, as he stroked her cheeks tenderly with his thumbs.

"I'm not giving up on you again." Robin cupped her face tenderly.

"I'll fight for you." He sealed his promise kissing her forehead and prolonging their moment as long he could.

Regina only opened her eyes when she heard the closing door. She brought her hands to her face, trying to calm down her sobs. However, she knew that no matter how hard she tried, the pain wouldn't leave her heart…the man she loved was not with her anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again, dear readers!**

 **Thank you so much for reading. I'm really glad people like this story. Your reviews have truly been overwhelming and kind.**

 **As always, thank you Monica and Gabi. Your suggestions are very helpful and I'm learning with you.**

 **This chapter is the longest I had ever written. I had thought about split into 2 chapters but I changed my mind.**

 **A lot of things are happening on this chapter: jealous Robin is making his appearance, as a bit of more clues about an important thing that is coming next. I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 6**

The days had passed slowly until they turned into two weeks. And all those days, Regina couldn't sleep properly, Robin was her first thought at the sunrises and her last one, as she laid her head on the pillow at night. She had seen him when he came with his son to her house and let the boy spend some time with her, but she was avoiding to look into his eyes. She was afraid that the burden he was carrying in his look, the one she could catch a glimpse from the corner of her eyes, would make her become weak again. That had been her final decision: they were not together anymore and she had to get used to it. No matter how much her chest burned at the sight of him, no matter how her tears struggled to fall, or her throat constricted every time she had to talk to him. All those things didn't matter anymore. She had to move on…and without him.

Today was one of those days; she could sense it when the doorbell rang and she made her way to the door. It had been one week since she had seen him and their last encounter it hadn't been a pleasant one. Since then, Little John had been bringing Roland to her house and she knew the reason, she knew Robin was ashamed to face her again. But this time, she was certain it was him, without a shadow of doubt. His smell and presence could be sensed by her before she even put her eyes on him and knowing it was him, made her nerves tense. It had been the best for them to not to see each other but she had missed him. Despite everything, she was worried about him and she just needed to see if he was fine.

"Hi." She greeted as she opened the door and was caught by surprise by a little boy hugging her legs tight.

"I'm sorry to come here at this time of the night without texting you first, but my battery is dead and Roland couldn't sleep." He shrugged shyly and gestured towards the boy.

"It's fine." She said and patted Roland's hair.

"What's wrong, sweet heart?" She said as she kneed in front of the boy, who had watering eyes.

"I had a bad dream." The boy said between sobs as he squeezed his plush monkey.

"Daddy didn't want to bring me here." The little boy said and hid his face on the crock of Regina's neck, making her hug him protectively while glancing up at his father.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to disturb you, I told him that but I didn't know what else to do…He wouldn't stop crying!" Robin said and scrubbed a hand over his face.

Regina noticed he was clearly embarrassed. They had an agreement: they wouldn't let their situation affect the little boy. It wasn't fair to him; he didn't even have an idea of what had passed in New York. To him, there was not Zelena or a baby or any of that. The only memories he had were of his father with Regina since they had arrived in Storybrooke.

It wasn't easy for her either because, almost every time Roland came to her house, she had to face Robin. But she loved the boy and she would do everything in her power to protect him or to make him happy.

"It's fine, Robin." She avoided his eyes, as usual, and picked up Roland to her lap.

"He can stay here for the night." She completed and this time couldn't avoid but looking into his eyes.

He was miserable. The bags under his eyes were noticeable from hundreds of miles as the frown on his forehead, but at least he was better than the last time he had come to her house.

 _ **** FLASHBACK ON ****_

Robin and David were having a busy week at the sheriff station; they had been sorting out issues that had arisen among the new townspeople. They were trying to restore order to Storybrooke and calming down the fear of the people, since a strange blast of magic had happened on the forest. They didn't know the real intention of the person who had created that, they guessed it was Merlin, but it seemed the attempt of whatever it was supposed to be, had failed.

At first, they thought it had been Zelena, who was free now but she was using the bracelet and her magic wasn't that powerful. Then the only person able to perform that kind of magic could be Merlin, however no one knew the face of the sorcerer or what the man had in mind.

Speaking of Zelena, he knew she was apparently fine because his men were always watching her. Her house was on the way to his camp and he had picked it for this exact reason. She was his responsibility now; he had to prevent her for doing anything wrong against the baby or other people, especially Regina. However, she had been quiet; he didn't know if that was a good or a bad sign, she could have been planning something, but for now, the woman was oddly quiet. Nothing had changed between them; he still couldn't have a healthy or friendly relationship with her and maybe he never would. But he wasn't negligent: he was providing the necessary for her to live well because his biggest concern was the baby.

Robin hadn't really seen Regina after their fight. One week had passed since then but it seemed like a decade; the days without her were costing to end. Of course he had caught a glimpse of her in the middle of the crowd but it seemed she was always trying to hide from him, and she was doing an excellent job on that, by the way. He only saw her face to face when he brought Roland to her house but Henry was always there and she immediately dismissed him. Whenever they had a brief chance to talk, she always shot him some sassy or sarcastic comment and left him speechless. And then, he always left without any argument.

 _Great! Back to square one!_

She had always been busy, especially for him, of course. Then he had waited, sooner or later he'd have a chance to talk her, even if she didn't want to, he had a lot of unspoken things to say to her. He hoped he would have that chance soon, very soon, because he couldn't even breathe properly without her. He had broken her heart again and now he was trying to find a way to fix it.

 _But how?_

He knew she needed time to process everything but he was determined to get her back. However, every attempt he had mad in the past week it had been a complete failure. He had sent her flowers, romantic texts, invited her to have dinner with him (which she politely refused) and even had made a piece of jewel for her, because David had told him that women used to like that kind of thing.

All women, but not Regina, apparently. She was used to being a Queen and having all kind of jewelry. He had been stupid following David's advices – if he knew what the man had done on a certain Valentine's Day….

But he had done it anyway, because his situation wasn't allowing to him to be proud or feel ashamed of anything. He had spent the whole week making a pendant for her. It was simple, an arrow crossing a crown, worked in silver material. Marco had helped him with some tools, despite the man being an expert at working with wood, his orientations had been very helpful.

He had decided to give her the gift on one of the times he took Roland to her house. He was sweating, with shaking hands and fast heartbeat. He was really nervous and feeling ridiculous but willing to do all effort to have his Queen back. If she asked him to build a castle for her, he'd do it!

When he gave her the pendant, with hopeful eyes and a shiny smile crossing his lips, she had only said "Thank you, you didn't have to". She didn't even smile at him. His world fell apart and the only thing he managed to say back was a timid "You're welcome".

"I think we're finished for today." David's voice broke the silence as they were walking in the woods, dragging Robin from his deep thoughts.

"Besides, there's a town meeting going on soon." David completed.

"A town meeting?" Robin asked confused and David widened his eyes, as if he had said something wrong.

"Why don't I know about that?" Robin said with an indignant tone in his voice and stopped on his tracks, staring at David.

"I don't think it's anything important…" David cleared his throat as he continued to speak:

"I can tell you tomorrow what has been discussed there. You don't have to go."

"I don't have to go or you don't want me to go?" Robin's eyes narrowed because he noticed his friend was trying to prevent him for going to the meeting.

"Man, it's nothing personal, is just…" David said awkwardly.

"Regina will be there." He added quietly and shrugged.

"Of course she will, she is the mayor." Robin retorted quickly.

"Exactly." David forced a smile on his face, the most unexciting smile that Robin had ever seen in his life.

"So?" Robin raised an eyebrow and signaled for his friend to give a plausible explanation to him.

"So…I don't think you two being at the same place after everything that happened would be comfortable." David blurted and stiffened, waiting for Robin's reaction.

"Maybe it's uncomfortable but we can avoid that forever, right? We're living in Storybrooke, sooner or later we'll have to face each other." Robin respected David and Snow's concerned towards Regina, but he couldn't miss the chance to see her, to hear her voice, to be by her side again.

"That's my chance to see her." Robin bit the inside of his cheek and looked down, admitting the truth to the Prince.

"I know." David nodded.

"Are you sure?" David had been concerned about Robin; he could see the sadness in his friend's eyes and he knew Regina was avoiding him. David had been on his place before and he understood how difficult it had been for his friend to lose the woman he loved.

"Yes." Robin said with hope in his eyes and couldn't help but been excited to see her.

* * *

"Can we start now? We don't have time to lose." Regina was impatient, pacing back and forth in her office, as the others were sitting on their places, around the table.

"David is coming, Regina. We have to wait for him, maybe he has something new to tell us." Snow said, trying to calm down her step mother.

"He's late and we have to start this as soon as possible." She said, not in the mood.

"Fine, let's start without dad." Emma motioned for Regina to sit and she did.

"Since we don't know who Merlin is or what he wants, we have to be careful and act normal while we're putting the plan in action." Emma warned them.

"How come you don't know who he is, mate?" Hook asked to Arthur.

"He used to have a lot of faces and he disguised behind different appearances, to protect himself. Actually, I've already seen him once but I'm not sure if that was his real face. I'm sorry I can't help you properly." Arthur apologized for his lack of information.

"Then how do you know it was him?" Emma glared at him.

"Because I saw him performing strong magic to save my people." Arthur said.

"But…" He let out the word and stopped talking, keeping the others in suspense.

"But what?" Regina asked him, really curious about the answer.

"I'm not sure, but he seemed really weak after performing his magic. I had to help him stand on his feet and he told me his time was expiring." Arthur completed.

"Is he dying? I thought he was the greatest sorcerer that ever existed!" Emma argued.

"He is, but I think even he has limited time." Arthur guessed.

"He is not immortal, Emma!" Regina pointed out.

"Anyway, we had already decided he is a good guy…" Emma tried to say but Regina intervened, before she could finish her sentence.

"Who decided that?" Regina bit out in an irritated tone, raising an eyebrow towards Emma.

"We don't know anything about him yet." Regina warned them.

"She's right, love." Hook said and Emma frowned at him.

"We only know he is here because he is weak and certainly he is looking for a source of power." Regina concluded.

"The dagger?" Snow widened her eyes as she said.

"But I thought he wasn't evil." She completed.

"Maybe, we don't know his intentions yet, but I think he's searching for something powerful to keep him alive …" Regina started to explain but she was interrupted.

"Sorry, I'm late!" David arrived breathless and kissed his wife's forehead.

"That is Regina's line." Snow joked, making everybody laugh.

"Oh please …" Regina rolled her eyes. She was happy to have them as her friends but right now was not the time for jokes. However, she couldn't help but smile from the corner of her mouth.

"Good afternoon." Said a strong voice invading the office.

Everybody froze and stared directly at Regina with wide eyes.

Regina opened her mouth to talk but nothing came out. She gulped and tried to prevent her eyes from watering. She had to control herself, she was the mayor and she was in the middle of an important meeting. But there he was, in all his glory, looking directly at her and waiting for her next move.

She had been the Evil Queen for a long time, she only had to remember how to act like that, to build her walls back up again and be cold and sassy, because now was definitely not the time or place to show her emotions and insecurities.

"What are you doing here?" She wet her lips and shouted the words at him in her most regal tone, breaking the awkward silence that had befallen the room.

He went quietly momentarily, contemplating how he should answer her.

 _I'm here because I miss you…_

That answer was fighting to leave his mouth but he couldn't say it out loud. First, because everybody was staring at them, and, second, because he could also act sassy; after all, he had acted like that with her in the missing year. If she wanted to do that…fine, he'd play along.

"I'm here for a meeting." His answer was blunt.

"Thank you for not inviting me." He said, like it was the most obvious answer, smirking at her as he sat down.

"If you were not invited it's because I don't need your help." She quickly darted her eyes over him and this time he rolled his eyes.

 _Insufferable woman!_

"You've been saying that for a long time, Your Majesty." He raised an eyebrow and gave her a mischievous grin, making her blood boil in her veins.

 _How dare him?_

And he wasn't finished with his provocation. He couldn't miss the chance to rattle her bones. He knew it was a dangerous path to follow, but what else he have to lose?

"If I well recall, if it weren't for me saving your ass more than once, you probably wouldn't be here right now." He leaned on the chair, making himself comfortable and smirked at her even more.

"How dare you…" Regina felt her blood boil even more at his audacity and stood up from her chair.

"Guys, please! We're trying to solve a problem here, not create another one." Emma tried to lighten the mood between the former couple.

"Fine." She huffed demandingly, sitting back on her chair just because she couldn't give a show of her intimate life for these people.

Her only desire right now was to take away that damn smirk from his face and she knew exactly what had to be done to accomplish it.

Robin continued with their internal battle and kept staring at Regina, innocently thinking he was in control. He noticed she quickly blushed, darting her eyes away from his gaze and he smiled proudly.

 _Good! She gave up and he won!_

But she put a lock of hair behind her ear, wetting her lips and he could notice she was sighing heavily from the movements of her chest, mimicking her actions during their intimate moments when she had been underneath him and he was deep inside her. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, making him widen his.

 _Was she teasing him?_

Immediately, he gasped and looked around, eyes full of concern and tried to see if the others were seeing her display of sassiness, but thankfully, they were babbling about how they could put whatever they had in mind into action.

 _Damn her! She knew exactly how he loved that!_

He was hard…really hard. A wave of lust was growing fast inside him.

The thought of her biting her lips, with her hair sprawled on the pillow when they were making love and she was about to come, were driving him insane! He could take her right now over the table and right here in front of all these people. He didn't care at all!

He couldn't express in words how much he enjoyed the sweet smell of her locks invading his nostrils and the sensation of running his fingers through them…and the way she bit her lips and how he could make her moan and…

"Ok, here's the plan…" Emma said, dragging him from his deep and dirty thoughts.

He shook his head and tried to concentrate on what the woman was saying but he could catch a tempting smirk appearing on Regina's face.

 _Admit it, Robin! She'll always win!_

He cleared his throat and tried to understand Emma's plan.

"Regina and I are going to perform our magic and try to reenact what Merlin has done in the forest. I'm sure when he sees it, he'll come to our meeting and then we catch him." Emma finally revealed their plan, taking Robin away from his memories and making him pay attention on the madness that they were about to do.

"Wait!" Robin had finally processed Emma's words and came back to reality.

He waved his hands, making everybody stare at him, except Regina, who was pretending to check on her cell phone, but he was certain she'd listen every single word he was about to say.

 _He knew her!_

"How are you going to do that if you're having problems with your magic? This could be dangerous, Regina!" Robin changed the tone of his voice because he was really concerned about her. He hoped he could convince her not to do that, but he knew she was the most stubborn woman he had ever met – and the task would be really difficult.

"I can manage it and this is none of your business anymore." She lifted her head, sharply turning to him.

"The hell is not!" He almost yelled, anger seeping through him, making Snow jumps on her chair.

"Your stubbornness could kill you, Regina. Is that what you want?" He was breathing fast, his hands were shaking because he could sense she was lying about her magic. She could trick everyone, but not him, and he wouldn't let her get herself hurt.

"The fairies can help us if you're not sure your magic is controlled, Regina." Emma suggested, with concerned eyes.

"Help with what? I don't trust certain dust anymore." She scoffed a little, looking directly at Robin, who knew exactly what she was insinuating at that moment.

"If they have it, we should definitely use it. I've heard about that and it's very powerful." Emma interfered.

"You have heard wrong or they obviously only have expired dust." She answered sarcastically, avoiding Robin's eyes, but he scoffed, knowing exactly what she was implying by her words.

"I'm not following you, Regina." Emma gave a confused look at her, genuinely intrigued by her suggestion.

"Never mind. I can assure you about my magic." She confirmed but truth was that she didn't know how to control her magic anymore. However, she was persistent and had to try.

"Ok, let's start tomorrow morning." Emma concluded and they stood from their chairs and started to leave the room.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Arthur asked her in a low voice, really close to her ear and squeezed her hand over the table.

"Yes, don't worry." She said softly and nodded to him.

Meanwhile, their interaction had stolen Robin's attention, who kept watching them from his seat. His heart stopped as he saw the image right in front of him.

 _Wait!_

Who was that damn man touching her? Was he there all the time? Why did they seem so close? Since when Regina knew that man? And where was that disgusting British accent coming from anyway?

A lot of questions crossed his mind as he stared at them and tried to listen to what the man was telling his queen.

Robin had a feeling he knew that man but he couldn't remember from where. Maybe because jealousy was blinding him.

The bastard kept his hideous blue eyes looking at his Regina and his fingers rubbing her hand. Luckily for him they have an audience, otherwise, he would break that man's fingers for daring to touch his woman. He was motionless by the display of affection in front of him.

 _Where were his arrows anyway?_

He had never missed a target and right now he would certainly not. He could put an accurate arrow in the middle of the man's heart and take away the pain he was feeling inside his chest, taking away that irritating smile from that man's face. Of course he was smiling, he was touching and God knows what else he was doing to _his_ Queen.

He couldn't believe it!

He was suffering miserably without her, dreaming about her every single night and she was moving on? Until last week they were practically living together, as a family, but right now she was letting another man touch her?

Robin was an idiot!

 _Wait…no!_

 _What?_

Was she smiling back to that man? If he dared to touch her hair…

Robin was about to throw up right in front of everyone. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move…his only desire was to put an end to that. He was panting and couldn't even think properly.

He was insane!

His primitive senses were taking over him. Images of that man on top of Regina and making her moan, were crossing his mind like a dirty porn movie – that _she_ had introduced him to it - and he squeezed his fists tight automatically.

 _No!_

He couldn't see the color of his face but he was sure that _red_ couldn't describe properly the growing burn inside him. He was snorting, breathless and his heart was racing in his chest like it was going to come out of his mouth at any second. He was a volcano about to erupt.

Without thinking, he stood from his chair abruptly.

"Regina, may I speak with you?" He gave her a serious look.

"Is he _your_ Robin?" That bastard asked to Regina in a low tone and she nodded her head but Robin could listen a lit bit of their private conversation.

"Do I know you?" Robin saw that something was going on between him and Regina because he had heard his name coming out from the man's mouth.

"Of course you do, Robin of Locksley. I'm King Arthur Pendagron." The man answered but didn't reach out with his hand for Robin to shake.

Robin froze as the realization took over him.

 _No!_

How had he not known that man when he first came into the office? Maybe it was the new outfit or because it had been a long time since they had met.

Both the men had remained looking at each other in silence, exchanging deadly looks, as Regina noticed the awkward situation and decided to intervene.

"Do you know each other?" She frowned and kept looking to one at another, waiting for an answer.

Nothing again, butanother awkward silence.

"What are you doing here?" Robin finally broke the muteness, with a harsh voice.

"I'm the king of Camelot and, as you can see, my people ended up here." Arthur spoke with a petulant tone Robin knew so well.

"I strongly suggest that you find a way back. This is not your place and you have to go!" Robin said, gruffly.

"Robin!" Regina raised her voice, throwing an anger look directly at him but he didn't care, he didn't even listen to her, he just wanted that man to disappear.

"I'm not offended, Regina." Arthur squeezed her hand, but seeing the furious look of Robin's face, she withdrew her palm shyly.

"It's fine, as long as he doesn't cross my path again." He pointed his finger at Robin as he spoke.

"You are the one crossing mine!" Robin retorted quickly, pointing a finger at his own chest.

"And I never did that! You were the one trying to marry a woman who loved someone else. I just helped her." Robin continued to argue.

"You stole her from me and took her to Lancelot!" Arthur reiterated angrily.

Regina was following their gazes, trying to understand what they had done to each other in the past.

"Yes….to a man who actually loved her and who she loved back." He said and put a fake smile on his face.

"You didn't have the right! I could make her happy and she knew it!" Arthur clenched his jaw a little whilst looking at him in the eye.

"Still, she happily agreed to going away with me!" Robin's answer was blunt and made Arthur sigh heavy.

"Robin…" Regina tried to say something but apparently the men had been waging their internal duel.

"And it seems you didn't learn the lesson, did you?" Robin teased him.

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked, intrigued by the insinuation.

"You are still trying to seduce another man's woman." Robin snapped, making Regina widen her eyes, but before she could say anything, they started approaching each other.

"Lucky for you, I don't have my sword with me." The king tilted his head high while he was getting closer and closer to Robin.

"Lucky for you, I don't have my bow and arrows with me." Robin closed his fists tight and didn't show to be intimated in any way by the other man.

"That's enough! Both of you!" Regina put herself in the middle of them.

Robin and Arthur eyed each other for a moment, until the king relented and stepped back.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said and Regina sharply turned to Robin, waiting for his apologies. Instead, he stood still, panting and throwing a deadly look at Arthur.

He was about to defy the other man again and make his intentions pretty clear but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Calm down, man." David murmured close to his ear, but he couldn't even listen, the only thing he could care about at the moment was staring at her.

"Robin, come on." David insisted, he had been about to leave the office when he heard the men arguing.

"Don't do anything you might regret later." He concluded, really concerned about Robin's actions.

Robin's heartbeat didn't even get a chance to slow down before David practically dragged him out of the office.

Finally, he came back to reality, nodding silently to his friend and left the room, but his thoughts stayed there…with Regina and that disgusting man.

* * *

He was drunk, _really_ drunk.

He knew it was late but he had lost the perception of time along with the second bottle of whiskey. He was trying to stand on his feet as he walked towards her house. He had to see her. He _needed_ to see her.

He couldn't take his mind away from her, no matter how hard he tried to think about something else, there she was again, invading his mind.

 _Damn Her!_

For a moment, he hated her. They had plans for their future; they were trying to build a family together. She said they would face everything together, but now, there he was, standing right in front of her house and praying for her to be alone in there.

 _What if that man was there with her?_

The single thought made him shiver and tears came to his eyes. He wasn't a man who cried like that but he was losing the woman he loved, what else he could do, but cry like a baby? She was not his anymore. He had messed up again.

 _You idiot! You had caused that!_

Robin knew it, but he had to get her back, and he would. He wiped away the tears and knew she'd be really mad at him for doing that, but he didn't care; the need of seeing her was bigger than anything.

Stumbling through the gates of her house, he yelled out Regina's name with a heavy breath. His chest was heaving. His lungs feeling as if they were about to shrivel up and his head, beading with sweat. Yes, he was sweating, despite the cold night.

"Regina!" He yelled out her name louder, knocking abruptly on the door.

Nothing.

 _Good! She wasn't there, maybe she was in her vault._

He breathed deeply, relieved, and had started to feel comfortable but his face changed into a furious expression when a memory crossed his mind.

 _Your idiot! The first time you made love to her was in her vault, wasn't it?_

He was about to run to her vault when he glanced up and saw the lights on inside her room, but immediately, they were off. He started to walk around the house to see if there was any way to get inside. He thought about breaking into her house, about picking the door's lock but he remembered he didn't have anything to help him to do that. He looked around, trying to find something but nothing seemed useful. He sighed heavily, throwing his head back and then he saw the lights coming from her room one more time, and then, out again. He felt a twinge of worry that she was awake so late at night.

 _Why didn't she want to answer him? Was she trying to hide something…or worse…someone?_

Robin groaned in frustration and clenched his jaw. If that man were in there and Robin caught them in the act...He would definitely kill that bastard! He just had to find a way to enter her house and he couldn't waste time anymore. He groaned in frustration but saw something that could help him accomplish his task.

 _The tree._

Of course!

 _Why didn't he think about that before?_

He could climb the tree and enter through Henry's window, which was always unlocked. It wasn't the best idea because he wasn't sober enough and he could fall down and break his neck, but what else he could do, right? He could blame it on the alcohol because drunken people always did stupid things. So he started to climb the tree, but his feet slipped down at his every attempt.

"Damnit!" He cursed and kicked the tree.

 _He had lived in the forest for a long time and couldn't climb a tree? Pathetic!_

"You won't beat me!" He was determined on his task and wouldn't let a damn tree or a few shots of whiskey stay on his way.

He chuckled at himself as he noticed he had been talking to a tree, but his smile faded away as he thought of Regina and the other man inside her home, doing God knows what!

He shook his head, took a deep breath and tried to climb again. This time, he grabbed the tree trunk firmly and took a good impulse, which enabled him to start to climb it.

"Robin?"

Her voice. He froze at his spot.

"Robin! What the hell are doing?"

Again, her voice. He didn't know what to do. He could picture how ridiculous the situation could seem right now: Robin Hood climbing a tree in the dark of the night to spy on the Queen. That was not the way he intended to do it. He was supposed to be the one surprising her, not the opposite.

He kept his position, hugging the tree confidently and trying to find a way to get out of this situation. He could climb down the tree and run away, pretending that that never happened, but of course she wouldn't let this go. Or he could make up a stupid excuse, because there were no good excuses for climbing a tree in the middle of the night.

Either way, that was really embarrassing!

Finally, he turned his head and looked down, seeing her standing by the threshold, tying her robe, with an interrogative look. Despite his shame, he had to face her, especially because he needed to know if she had been alone in there. He started getting down the tree carefully and approaching her, trying to not stagger in front of her.

"Why were you climbing that tree?" She demanded with an imperative tone, arching her eyes brows and noticing he was drunk.

"I…" He cleared his throat and tried to speak a few coherent words but he was still out of breath from the climbing.

"You what?" She asked, genuinely curious about how he would answer her.

"I want to talk." He supported his body on the threshold but didn't look at her.

"From the top of the tree?" She asked and saw him gulp. It was clear he was embarrassed and didn't have an excuse for her. Regina wasn't naïve and she could bet he was trying to breaking in into her home, but decided to not press him further, due to his condition. She eyed him for a moment, head to toe and finally spoke:

"There's nothing more to talk about." She was resolute; she needed some time away from him, especially now.

"Please, Regina…" He begged and lifted his head, stepping towards her.

"No! You should go home, take a cold shower and stop drinking the way you are." She immediately stepped back and put a hand on his chest, trying to prevent him from entering her house.

She could guess he had been drinking after their meeting and if she knew him well, and she did, he had been walking in the forest without a real destination. She had seen his reactions when he had seen her with Arthur. Regina felt guilty for that but what could she have done for him? She could barely look at him without remembering he had betrayed her and hidden a lot of important things from her. Add the fact that he had moved on fast and got her sister pregnant. It wasn't her fault she was feeling that way; he brought that upon himself but still, she couldn't stop thinking she was the guilty one.

 _Was there a guilty one in that complicated situation?_

Regina didn't know, but right now, she couldn't stay with him anymore. She had other important and complicated issues to deal with and she couldn't tell him about them, she couldn't tell anyone. She was conflicted because it, at some point, concerned him too, but their situation wasn't allowing for such a thing. She had to deal with her problems by herself.

"Yeah, it's easy for you to say that." He replied sarcastically.

"Easy?" She said, anger starting to leak through her.

"Do you really think this is easy for me?" She felt her blood boil as she heard his insinuation.

"Well, you moved on with your new _boyfriend_." He looked up at the stairs with angry eyes and entered her house.

"Where is he?" He made his away to the living room but she stopped him before he could go upstairs.

"Is he already in your bed?" He asked through clenched teeth, still looking upstairs.

Regina couldn't control herself anymore and slapped him on the face.

"How dare you to come to my house and offend me?" She pointed her finger at him as she shouted angrily.

He led a hand over his face and rubbed the spot she had hit him. He knew he deserved that and he had been expecting it when he came to her house, but he was decided to get her back, no matter how much that would cost to him. He couldn't let his queen move on without couldn't believe nor accept the idea that she was not his anymore.

 _She was his, no one else's._

"I saw the way you two were close." He said in a low tone, still rubbing his face with his hand.

"He doesn't deserve you! He's only doing that to get his revenge against me!" He pointed a finger at himself.

"I really doubt that!" She gave a little scoff, shaking her head no.

"Are you defending that man?" He widened his eyes, sounding totally irritated.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew him?" She asked, a small bit of bitterness showing in her voice.

"I didn't know he was here and it doesn't matter." He retorted quickly.

"It doesn't matter?" She said, arching her eyebrows.

"You stole the love of his life! Of course it does matter!" She trailed off.

"She didn't love him! I saved her from a loveless marriage!" He exclaimed.

"And there are a lot of things from your past that you haven't told me either!" He narrowed his eyes, staring at her.

"Like what?" She had huffed, demandingly.

"Let's start with you flirting with Nottingham!" He said, pointing at her, making her frown, then widen her eyes and gasp, as she realized whom he was talking about.

 _How the hell did he know about that?_

"It wasn't important and I didn't flirt with him!" She inhaled deeply, wondering why she had to explain herself, for that had happened a long time ago and it meant nothing to her.

"Really? You knew he was my arch enemy!" A wave of annoyance hit him.

He knew she had had an encounter with the sheriff in the past because, of course, the bastard had the audacity to spread the tale through the whole land. Robin had never brought this issue up, despite his need of knowing what had really happened, because the mere thought of Regina with that man, disturbed him deeply. But now he was angry at her and he couldn't miss the chance to dump it out of his mind.

"At the time, I thought he was you!" She replied immediately, with a lower tone to her voice and he gave her a curious look.

"My dear mother arranged the whole thing to me." She said with sad eyes and seeing her expression changed, he immediately regretted to bring this subject up.

However, he shook his head and tried to focus again. He was still deeply annoyed and worried about whatever she was having with Arthur. He noticed the way the king looked at her and touched her, and worse, the way she was acting towards him, smiling and letting him approach her so easily.

 _No! He couldn't let her stay with that stupid man with that annoying British accent!_

"While I am trying to find a way back to you, you are moving on with another man! Unbelievable!" He waved his hand through the air, sounding totally outraged.

He knew that maybe he deserved to see her with another man, he had broken her heart more than once, but the awful pain in his heart was burning him alive.

 _How could she have moved on so fast? And with that bastard?_

He couldn't believe it.

"Oh, dear…It's not unbelievable! You did exactly the same thing to me! Can you remember that?" She knew she was playing a dangerous game because he was really mad, but he deserved to hear it.

Arthur and her didn't have anything, just a bidding friendship, but she wouldn't tell Robin _that_ because she wanted him to feel at least a bit of what she had been through this whole time.

"That was different!" He pointed that out.

"Of course it was, he didn't get me pregnant yet!" She dangerously teased him.

That was it! She wanted to make him feel exactly the way she had been feeling inside since she had figured out he had moved on with another woman without even thinking about her. She knew that maybe that wasn't the right thing to do but she was a woman with feelings, she wasn't perfect. Maybe seeing him jealous and hurt would make her feel better. And actually, looking at his face right now, she had accomplished her goal.

"Don't play with me, Regina. You have no idea what I'm capable of! And if I find that guy dared to touch you…" He felt insulted by her answer and the idea of other man touching her was driving him insane.

He said that and tried to catch her by her waist but she stepped back, avoiding his touch.

"Do I have to remind you that we are not together anymore?" She lifted her eye brows.

"It doesn't matter. I wouldn't allow it anyway." He shook his head no, closing his eyes.

"This is none of your business! This is my life! You don't have the right to allow it or not." She was huffing demandingly.

"This is _our_ life and I'm _not_ giving up on you." He responded hastily, in a tentative to make her understand that she was a part of his life, a really important one.

"Too late! You already did that!" She left out a quickly laugh and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.

"But I'm not doing that again." He walked towards her and this time she neither move or opened her eyes. His proximity had always made her weak, no matter how hard she tried to fight against it, he would always find a way to break her walls.

He held her hands and put them on his own face. The feeling of his skin touching her hands made her shiver and her heartbeats accelerated. She could sense the warmth of his face mixed with the tears that were falling from his eyes. How much she had missed him, his touch, his warmth, his scent, his voice…she couldn't help but stroke his cheeks tenderly, making him lean his head towards her palm.

"I love you, don't you understand that?" He said, eyes softening.

She opened her eyes and dropped one single tear. She couldn't do that, she had to keep her walls up. She couldn't stay so close to him like that, otherwise she would go back on her decision and everything would be back to the same point: she still doubting of him and he making his choices based on his honor…not on her.

"Go away, Robin. You're drunk!" She took her hand out of his grip and made her way to the door, signaling the exit for him.

"Maybe I am, but it doesn't mean I'm lying to you, Regina." Robin spun around to face her again.

"Please, give me another chance!" He begged her, with tears in his eyes, not worrying if he was looking weak or ridiculous because he needed her back.

"I can't…" She chuckled sadly because she was sure he you'd hurt her once more if she let him enter her life again.

"Regina…"

"No! That's enough!" She needed him to go away before she changed her mind and she couldn't do that.

That was not the right way he would have her back. She was done with his words, words that he had totally contradicted by his actions.

"Go to your son, I'm sure he needs you." She said steadily.

"I'm going…" He walked towards the door and stopped right in front of her.

"But I'm not letting you stay with another man!" He wiped away the tears of his face with his shirt sleeves and said that with a determined look.

"You don't have the right." She felt annoyed by his tone. He was the one that had caused that and now he was in her home requiring explanations about her life.

"I do and if I see that man close to you again I swear to you I'll…" He was pointing a finger to her but before he could pour all his anger out, she cut him.

"You will do what?" Her eyes narrowed and the vein in her forehead popped out.

"Don't you ever come to my house threatening me again." She closed the distance between them, anger trickling through her, pointing a finger right to his chest and staring into his eyes.

"I'm threatening _him_ and I'll tell him that in person."

"Robin…please!" She decided to change her tone and trembled at the determination she saw in his eyes.

She could feel his heart beating fast, wildly. She had never seen him like that before. He was panting, closing his fists tight and staring at the floor. For a moment, she thought he was imagining the guy right in front of him and he was deciding what to do with him. Regina couldn't let him hurt Arthur, first because the man had nothing to do with that and second because Robin could hurt him badly or worst…kill him and spend the rest of his days in jail. She could see Robin was out of his mind and she was afraid he would do something bad against Arthur and he didn't deserve that; he was just being a friend, being there for her to tell him about her fears and problems.

"Don't do anything you'd regret later, Robin. Arthur is only my friend and if you do anything against him, you'd do it against me."

"Do you love him?" He got out of his trance and these words were out before he could stop them. He asked her but was afraid to listen to her answer.

"Excuse me?" She said bluntly.

"DO YOU LOVE HIM?" He asked, pausing between the words, through clenched teeth.

He went quiet, dreading how she would answer him. The panic seeped back into him.

 _What if she was in love with someone else?_

"Robin…" She darted her eyes away.

"Go away, please! You have no conditions to talk tonight." Regina closed her eyes and sighed.

"Fine, just…I miss you…" He blinked away the unshed tears.

"I miss you in a way I never thought I'd miss anybody in my life." He admitted, sadly.

"I miss your smell." He leaned his head to her hair, taking her smell into his nostrils.

"I miss your hair." He played with a strand of her hair.

"I miss your warm body." He held her waist and brought her body to his, making her gasp at the warmth radiating from his body and enveloping hers.

"I miss your lips." He closed the distance between them and pressed her lips light with his own.

"I miss you, Regina…badly!" Robin cupped her face and she opened her eyes.

"You have to go." She managed to mutter these words, despite her growing desire to give in into his touch, his kisses, his body…

"It's late, I have to go to bed." She lowered her head and stepped back slowly, missing the warmth of his body immediately.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"You've already said that a lot of times."

"I know…just try to understand that I'm not a perfect man but I love you…and I always will." He muttered softly and left, as a conflicted Regina kept looking at him until he finally disappeared into the dark night.

 _ ****FLASHBACK OFF ****_

Robin sighed as he remembered his actions from last week. He didn't know what to say to her, he didn't know if she was mad at him or, more importantly, what kind of relationship she was having with Arthur. He had seen them at Granny's one time but before he could approach them or say anything, they were already out. He had asked David about them but he always said Regina and the king were only friends. Robin didn't believe it, maybe they were friends for now, but of course Arthur was trying to gain her love.

"Can I come in and play videogame?" Roland broke the silence.

"Of course you can but just a little bit. It's late and I'm going to take you to bed." She said and his lower lip protruded in a sulky pout.

"I promise I'm reading Harry Potter for you until you sleep."

"Yeah!" The little boy giggled happy in reply and entered the house.

Robin signed, clenched his jaw a little whilst, looking at her in the eyes, but he didn't know if he could ask her what he really wanted to know…or not know. The situation was awkward but he'd do everything to talk to her, even if it was just for a little while.

"The plan didn't work." He said, trying to start a neutral conversation and she frowned.

"The plan to catch Merlin." He completed, making her understand what he was talking about.

"We're trying to figure out another way." She wetted her lips and like him, she wanted to ask a lot of things, but didn't know if it was for the best.

"Good." He gave a shiny and short smile.

"How's Zelena?" She finally took the courage to embrace that subject.

Actually, Regina hadn't seen the woman since she had been free from the hospital and it was better that way.

"I think she's fine. She's under control." He bit the inside of his cheek and leaned his head down.

"Good." She shortly answered and started to play with her necklace because she didn't know what else to do.

"You're using it." Robin pointed to her bust.

"Yes." She glanced at him and smiled that radiant smile of her.

"I made it for you." Maybe it meant nothing but he couldn't help but feel proud of that. She was using the necklace he had made for her and if she was using something so simple like that, it was because she had liked his gift.

"It's beautiful. Thank you." She blushed as she saw his gorgeous dimpled smile towards her.

"Are you two together?" The words were out before he could stop them and he cursed himself for that.

"Robin…" She seemed taken aback by the question and her eyes opened wide. She closed them and sighed.

"I'm sorry but I have to know, Regina." He begged her with watering eyes.

"This is killing me." He admitted quietly, running a hand through his hair and not facing her.

"Arthur is my friend. I told you that." She inhaled deeply, trying to not to be irritate by him as in the previous week. Her voice was deep and sultry.

"Alright." He didn't seem to be convinced but didn't want to upset her. He shook his head and tried to focus again.

"Can I take Henry to the park with Roland some time?" He tried to change the mood.

"I miss seeing the boys together." He really had missed them, their jokes and talks and laughs.

"Of course." She couldn't help but feel her heart warm up.

"Call him and set a date." She knew he had become close to Henry during the time he had spent with her and her boy had been drawn to Robin since the beginning.

"Thank you." He said and she nodded.

"And thank you for Roland too." He gave her a genuinely and sincere smile.

"Anytime."

"Regina!" Called the boy with his thin voice from inside the house.

"I have to go." She signaled towards the living room and he nodded.

"Good night, milady." The urge to hug and kiss her was terrible but he had to control himself. That was not the right way to get her back.

"Good night." She closed the door and rubbed a hand over her face.

How she missed that time back when he didn't have to go away but, instead, he would stay there with her.

* * *

Regina was walking by Storybrooke streets and looking at the sky, inhaling deeply and taking in the nice breeze of Saturday morning. It was a beautiful and promising day, and she hadn't usually appreciated these kind of things, she chuckled with herself. She had changed and now she was certain of that. Despite the circumstances and everything she was going through, she was feeling light, refreshed, like a new woman. Or like herself? She smiled proudly because she knew exactly the reason she was feeling like that, notwithstanding of her growth as a person.

"Good morning." Arthur approached and greeted her, kissing her knuckles softly and taking her away from her sweet thoughts.

"Hi." She gave him a sincere smile.

"I'm happy to see you're happy." He smiled back and put one of her arms around his, following her in her walk.

"But you're late." He leaned his head to hers, playfully.

"I'm sorry, I had to take Roland to the camp this morning." She was still enjoying the beauty of the day and now, his company.

"Did he sleep in your house?"

"Yes." She nodded and a proud smile formed on her face. She loved to spend time with Roland. The boy had the ability to make her smile bright and causeless, even in her darkest days.

"He had a nightmare last night, woke up calling for me and Robin took him there." The smile on her face suddenly dropped as she remembered the burden he was carrying in his eyes. She knew she was the reason for that, and of course she was feeling guilty to cause him pain, but there wasn't another way.

"Did you two talk?" He dared to ask her.

Actually, Arthur had been careful about everything involving her relationship with Robin. Especially after he had known _her_ Robin was the man who had caused him so much pain in the past. He wasn't a fool and knew it wasn't the man's fault that his loved one had ran away from him, from their marriage and, maybe, his happy ending; but he couldn't help but put at least a little of the blame on the thief. Moreover, he was trying to move on, to be happy, to love and to be loved back. Unfortunately, the woman he was drawn to since the first day they had met happened to be Regina… _that man's Regina_.

But he was determined; the woman right beside him deserved to feel truly loved and revered because life had been so cruel to her and despite her mistakes in the past, she didn't deserve to suffer anymore. He knew she had been manipulated by her mother and dark forces; she was a victim of the circumstances.

"Did you talk about me?" He asked her again because of the lack of an answer.

"No." She lied.

"Regina, I just want to make things clear here…" He stopped right in front of her and held her hands, making her stop with him and look directly at his eyes.

"I'm interested in you…I'm falling for you!" He admitted to something he was sure she already knew but he hadn't had the courage to speak out loud yet.

"Arthur…" She muttered under her breath, her eyes widened and she gasped, despite of herself. She knew it, but now he was admitting it in a low and clear tone, right in front of her.

"I know, you are not ready and I understand that…I really do." He squeezed her hand and, automatically, led one hand to caress her cheek.

He was falling for her, and luckily for him, she didn't step back or avoid his touch, as usual. He didn't want to take advantage of her fragility but he couldn't control his actions anymore. It seemed that his body was acting for itself and he had this urge to touch and comfort her.

"Please, look at me." He held her chin up wisely as he saw she was distressed by his confession. The last thing he wanted was this woman being embarrassed because of his rashness and running away from him because of that.

"I just want you to know that this…" He led her hands to his heart and his strong heartbeats made her widen her eyes.

"This is not because of revenge against him…This is because of you and I can do whatever it takes to make you happy." He brought her hands to his mouth again and kissed them.

"I didn't even know that man was _your_ Robin…I swear to you!" He honestly admitted with a bit of despair.

Regina was lost. There were a lot of new things happening in her life at the same time and she couldn't think properly. She loved Robin…she was sure of that. But she couldn't stay with him anymore; she had decided that because their relationship was hurting her too much and she had to learn how to live her life without him. It was hard…she wasn't ready for another relationship and she couldn't hurt that man right in front of her. He didn't deserve that, he was a great man and if he had showed up in her life in another moment, maybe she would be falling for him too. But, right now, she couldn't give her heart to another man because her heart didn't belong to her anymore. She had given it to Robin, literally speaking, a long time ago in the forest and since then, he was the only one holding it.

"I know that and I never thought that you could do such a thing. We're fine." She nodded and let her hand squeeze his on her face.

"Thank you for trusting me." He opened a beautiful smile to her and squeezed her hand tight but gently.

"I do trust you." She smiled back and gave him the confirmation he was waiting for.

"I have to go to the library." She was the one breaking the moment.

"I have to find some specific and important books." She completed.

"I can follow you there." He mildly offered.

"No, you can't!" She widened her eyes in panic, with a frightened tone.

"Why not? Are they some kind of secret books?" He smirked at her.

"It's just…private." She admitted shyly. She had to figure out about important issues as soon as she could and she was hoping to find the answers in the books.

"Oh! I had heard about those kinds of books of this land!" His smirk opened even more and she laughed.

"Shut up! It's not about _that_!" She said and couldn't contain a quickly laugh.

"It's serious!" She was trying to convince him but failed.

"Right!" He grimaced teasingly.

"I mean it." She tried to sound serious but couldn't stop laughing.

"Alright." He blinked at her and tried to restrain his smile.

"You're impossible!" She let out a growl of frustration, making him laugh even harder.

They were lost in their internal joke when a familiar voice came behind her. She knew that sooner or later she would have to deal with that, but she had that naïve hope that the day would never come.

"Good morning, Madam Mayor. It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Zelena approached them but Regina didn't turn around to face her.

"I'm going to shop for Robin's little one here." She walked and stopped right in front of Regina, rubbing her hand on her stomach and laughing wickedly.

"Is she your sister?" Arthur asked, eyes widening.

"Since my sister is showing her impoliteness let me introduce myself, I'm Zelena and you are…" Zelena extended her hand to him but he stood still, staring at her with an unfriendly look. He knew what that woman had done to Regina and he hated her for it.

"King Arthur." He said sharply but didn't take her hand to greet her, instead he leaned closer to Regina, who was quiet and staring at her sister.

"Oh, I have heard about you." Zelena smiled at him.

"Arthur, let's go! Don't waste your time with this woman." Finally, Regina had found her voice back, looking at Arthur and trying to continue their walk. She definitely didn't want to talk to her sister, she knew that woman was there to tease her, mock her and make her feel bad.

"You're fast, aren't you?" Zelena insinuated, as Regina was passing beside her.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Regina stopped and threw these words over her shoulder.

"While I thought you were suffering because your soulmate, another man was already warming your bed." She teased Regina.

"Don't you dare!" Regina whirled around, anger seeping through her. She was panting, stepping towards her sister and pointing a finger at her.

"Regina…" Arthur caught her arm, trying to prevent her from doing something wrong against her sister.

Regina was outraged but inhaled deeply, trying to calm down her nerves.

"You have no right to judge me!" Regina said, with a calmer tone.

"Stay away from me, Zelena. You already have what you wanted." She tried her best to snarl out her words but they ended up sounding more vulnerable than she had hoped.

"I guess not. Despite everything, you look happy and I don't like that!"

"Leave her alone!" This time, Arthur intervened.

"Oh, the king has balls!" Zelena snapped and let out a sarcastically laugh.

"Come on, Regina." Arthur eyed her and signaled for them continue to walk.

"I'm not finished yet, you know, sis?" Said the woman in front of them and Regina sighed deeply.

Regina was tired of fighting against Zelena, she only wanted a time of peace. She didn't understand why her sister hated her so much and kept threatening her constantly, even after she had destroyed her relationship with Robin.

"And I won't stop until I destroy you completely!" She almost screamed these words at Regina's face and touched a finger to her chest, braving her sister.

Regina closed her eyes tight but, before she could reply to Zelena, a familiar wave of magic started to take over her body. She never had used that kind of magic before but she had already dreamed about that, and in her dream, she had killed her mother.

 _Was that dream trying to warn her?_

She started to shake in panic at the mere thought of the danger of this situation. If it happened like in her dream, she could hurt her sister and worse, the baby. She had to control it, but how? She could barely open her eyes!

She could hear Arthur saying her name and her sister's screams about "what the hell she was doing". She had no idea of how she was supposed to stop that but she knew she had to find a way.

Regina took a deep breath, inhaling deeply and trying to concentrate. She managed to open her eyes with difficulty and saw a light blue smoke surrounding them. That was definitely not her magic but she could guess the source of it. She looked at her hands and noticed that strong blue flashes started to emerge from them wildly.

 _Please! No!_

Regina mentally begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. If she wasn't able to stop it and hurt the baby, she'd never forgive herself…Robin would never forgive her.

She didn't know how to control it but she could deduce that this unknown magic appeared whenever she was feeling threatened by someone.

Instinctively, she led her hands to her stomach, rubbing it softly and whispering these words several times:

 _It's fine. We're safe!_

After a few seconds, the wave of magic began to slowly disappear. She inhaled deeply, looking around and mentally thanked she hadn't hurt anyone, especially the baby.

"What the hell have you done? This is not your magic!" Zelena said, widening her eyes and pointing a finger at her sister as she shouted.

Regina tensed and closed her eyes, before shrugging.

"Robin would love if I told him that you tried to hurt me and his baby."

"I wasn't trying to hurt your baby." Regina seemed taken aback by Zelena's words and she admitted sincerely.

"I don't believe you, especially because you're unable to have your own baby!" Zelena said bitterly and that hurt Regina a lot, more than she thought it ever would, but she gulped the words that could contradict Zelena's affirmation and stayed quiet.

"That's enough! Please, go away!" Arthur put his body protectively in front of Regina and stared at Zelena, with angry eyes.

"You'll pay for this, Regina! I swear to you!" Zelena said in a defiant tone, as she turned around and started to walk away from them.

Zelena was panting, anger seeping through her. She had meant every single word and after she had seen her sister's display of strong magic, she wouldn't waste any time. She had to admit she was apprehensive because she had never seen that kind of magic before. She mumbled furiously and mentally cursed herself for not knowing what kind of power her sister was using but she'd definitely figure out a way to stop it, not matter how much it would cost. She'd never let her sister beat her or be happy. That was unacceptable. She'd find Merlin and her plan for him wasn't the good one.

"Are you alright?" Arthur said, placing a supportive hand on Regina's shoulder, who was still trying to compose herself.

"I need to find some books." Regina seemed to be in an automatic pilot, she started to walk, staring at nowhere. She could only think about finding the answers and she had to act as fast as she could. She knew what or, more specifically who, was doing that to her but she needed to know why and how to control it; there was a lot to lose. She had succeeded today but she knew it wasn't easy…it was stronger than she had ever thought and that was scaring the hell out of her. She couldn't and wouldn't let anything or anybody hurt her…

"Wait!" Arthur grabbed her arm and made his stance in front of her.

"I don't think this is a good idea. I think you should go home right now and rest a little, or maybe go to the hospital."

"I'm fine, I don't need rest or a hospital." She said and tried disentangling her arm from him.

"Regina, you're not fine." He glanced at her with concerned eyes.

"You have to admit that something wrong is going on with you." He completed and tried to touch her face but she turned it away from his touch.

"Nothing is wrong with me." She barked out loud.

"And how can you explain what just happened?" He had to admit that he was afraid of what he had witnessed. He had seen Merlin's magic before and he was aware of its power. And what Regina had just done….he couldn't be certain but he had seen that kind of magic before.

"That's why I need the books!" She was persistent, decided and apparently no one could stop her from getting the information she needed to know.

"Please, at least let me follow you." He finally understood that nothing could stop her. He was feeling that something important was going on with her by the fear he saw through her eyes, and decided to help her, even without having any clues of what she was facing.

"Fine!" She reiterated angrily, but he didn't care….he'd help her no matter how indifferent she was treating him right now.

They walked together to the library, where they spent a lot of time reading a few books. Arthur noticed that Regina was getting impatient as she leafed through books over books and apparently didn't find what she was looking for. He offered his help but she refused it and he had no idea of what was troubling her so deeply or what kind of information she had been looking for. He knew it was important but he didn't dare to ask her, instead, he went to Granny's and brought something for them to eat.

"This is useless!" She said as she threw another book on the floor.

"What are you looking for?" He finally got the courage to ask, but she just shook her head no.

"Regina…"

"No!" She replied gruffly.

"We've been here for hours….you didn't even touch your food!" He signaled the bags of food he had brought from Granny's hours ago and which certainly had gone already cold by now.

"I didn't ask for your help!" She looked at the food but refused to concentrate at anything, but the books in front of her. She wasn't hungry…or maybe she was, but she had more important things to deal with right now than to eat.

"I know…still, I'm here to help you!" He tried to catch her hand but she quickly collected it back to her body. She just needed to be alone!

"But how can I help you if I don't know what are you looking for?" He insisted.

"Regina, please…trust me! We're friends!" He tried to search for her eyes, to look into them, but she was avoiding any contact.

"It's…complicated!" She breathed deeply and finally admitted, speaking honestly to him.

"I can tell it is, but try me, tell me what's wrong…please!" He begged her.

"I'm sure when I tell you the whole truth, you'll walk away…" She needed him by her side, he was a person she could trust and talk about her fears. She closed her eyes and tried to fight against the tears that were almost leaving her eyes.

"I won't walk away." He was finally able to catch her hand on his.

"I promise you." He sealed his promise squeezing her hand tight and looking at her with sincere eyes.

Regina looked at him, saw the honesty on his face, the face of the man who was there to help her, no matter what.

She hesitated for a moment but then, after taking a breath, she finally told him everything.

* * *

Robin was sitting on a bench at the park. It was a beautiful sunny day. Roland was there feeding the ducks and Henry was sitting by Roland's side, reading comic books and once in a while, raising his head and smiling at Roland.

Despite the age difference, the boys had always got along. Roland had been drawn to Henry since the first time they had met and Henry really cared about the little boy.

Robin smiled at the sight of them. He rested his head on his hands, still watching the boys' interaction.

The past weeks had been really hard for him and seeing the boys together was reassuring. Despite his situation with Regina, the image could calm down his heart and make his lips smile unwittingly.

The worse part of this whole mess it was that stupid man! The guy wouldn't give Regina a break. It seemed he was glued to her, no matter where she was, that king had been by her side, always!

 _Couldn't he just disappear from Storybrooke and come back to whatever land he belonged to?_

That was why Robin was trying endlessly to help the new people to find a way back to their land. Not that he didn't care about those folks, but his main concern lied with their regent.

 _That bastard!_

Robin didn't know what kind of relationship that man was having with Regina but he could guess his intentions were not the best ones. He hadn't seen them together anymore but he could sense that that man was doing everything to please _his Queen._ Robin didn't care… he'd do everything in his power to show how much he loved her.

"Hi." A voice echoed by Robin's side. He turned his head and saw a beautiful little girl sitting on the bench, swinging her little legs on the air. Immediately, Robin opened a huge smile.

 _Who was that girl? Why did she seem so familiar?_

"Hello." He greeted her back and kept examing her figure. She was staring ahead and had not looked directly at him yet.

"Are you alone here at the park? Where is your mom?" Robin asked, worried about her.

 _How had the girl sat by his side without him notice it?_

She turned her attention and looked at him for the first time. When he saw her face, he gasped; she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. Robin couldn't stop staring at her, trying to memorize her features, especially her deep blue eyes and dark locks.

 _Who was this girl?_

"My mommy is in danger." She said with teary and sad eyes.

He couldn't resist. Instinctively, he hugged the little girl and tried to comfort her.

"Shiuuuu!" He kept trying to calm her down.

"Where is your mom? What is going on with her?" Robin had to help the little girl, and of course, her mother. She was crying and sobbing on his chest, making his heart skip a beat. He didn't know exactly what to do and if he could help her but he couldn't let the little girl like that.

"Honey, where is your mother? I want to help her, but first, I need to know where she is." He said holding her beautiful face in his hands and wiping her tears with his thumbs.

"Come on." The girl said and got up, raising one hand for him to hold.

He took her hand on his and followed her. They began to walk into the woods and Robin didn't know if the girl actually knew what she was doing or where she was going. How old was she? Maybe four? No, she was younger than Roland, but he couldn't tell. He just followed her without asking anything else. They walked and walked and Robin was pretty sure that girl was lost.

 _What was her mother doing in the middle of the forest?_

That was weird. Robin stopped and looked at her.

"We are far away from the park. Are you sure your mom is here or are you lost?" He asked, kneeling in front of her with an understanding look.

"There!" The girl just pointed with her index finger at something standing on the ground. It was too far and Robin couldn't exactly see what it was.

"Stay here! I'm going to check it. Please, wait for me here, ok?" Robin didn't know if it was as dangerous as the little girl had said or not. But, in case of doubt, he wouldn't put the girl in risk.

He began to walk towards the place she had pointed and, the closer he came, the more conflicted he was about it. That was bad. He could feel it. He looked back to check on the little girl and noticed she had gone.

 _Great!_

Of course she wouldn't stand still waiting for him, she was a child. He should know by experience that she wouldn't wait for him. What now? Should he go after the little girl or go ahead and check on what she had pointed at him?

He was about to turn around and go after the girl, because children came first, but a little moan captured his attention. He looked towards the noise and fixed his look on the ground.

 _Jesus!_

He realized there was a person laying down on the ground.

 _Was it the little's girl mother? Was she hurt?_

He ran and ran, really scared about what he was about to see. His heart was beating fast and his breath was caught in his throat.

 _Yes, it was definitely a woman._

She was lying on her side with her back to him. He kneeled on the ground and tried to turn her head around carefully to his lap because he didn't know how badly she was injured.

"Robin!" The woman whispered with difficult, as soon as he put her head on his lap.

Robin's eyes widened in realization. She had an injury on her stomach. Apparently, somebody had stabbed her. And the blood…A lot of blood was covering her hands above her stomach.

 _No! It couldn't be! No!_

He was shocked. His whole body was shaking. He didn't notice but tears started to running down his cheeks.

 _No! Not again! Not this way!_

He tried to open his mouth to say something comforting but the words wouldn't come out. He was losing her again.

"Save her! Save us! Please!" The little girl was kneeling by the other side, caressing the woman's hair.

Robin gulped and closed his eyes. What was he supposed to do? Scream for help? They were in the middle of the forest, nobody would listen to him. Should he carry her to the hospital? Would she endure until they got there?

He was desperate. He didn't know what to do.

He kept one hand over hers, trying to make pressure on the injury. His other hand was holding her beautiful face and touching her lips softly.

 _How stunning she was?_

He couldn't lose her. She held his heart and his soul. No matter if they were together or not, he'd always love her. She was a part of him and if he lost her, he would lose himself.

"Regina…" He whispered, his eyes were shining with fear.

"You're going to be alright!" He tried to say this between sobs.

With all her strength, she raised one hand to his face and caressed him softly.

"No, I'm not!" She said with a shy smile.

The panic seeped back into him. His mind was in full speed with all sorts of scenarios going through it. The urge to cry and let the desperation take him over was tremendous but he had to stand strong for her.

"Regina, don't do this to me. Don't die on me again! You can't! Are you listening to me? You can't!" He said these last words slowly.

"I just…I just want you to know that…" She was trying to say something to him but she was too weak.

"Shhhhh, my love! Save your strength! I'll try to find help". Robin managed to say this between the tears that kept running down his eyes and wetting Regina's face.

"I…know that I loved you." She tried to put a smile to her face.

"I…loved you…with my whole heart and…soul!"

Said that, she gave her last breath and dropped her last tear from the corner of her eyes.

"Regina! Regina! Please, my love! Wake up! Wake up for me, Regina! Please!" He screamed and started to shake her.

Nothing.

Robin felt as if a knife was had been tucked into his chest. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. Memories of them together were passing like a movie in his mind. The whole forest felt so small and it was hard to breathe. He had never felt so much pain in his life. He brought her face to his and kissed every bit of her still warm face he could reach.

She was dead. His Regina…his Queen was dead.

"No! No! Nooooo!" His screams echoed between the trees. His head was aching and his heart was pounding hard inside his chest.

Then, he heard a wicked laugh coming from behind a three.

"You! You did this to her! Why could you do it? Why? Why?" He screamed between sobs.

"I thought my intentions were pretty clear. I wouldn't allow her to be happy. Never!" Zelena said with a winning face.

"You killed her, you sick witch! You killed her!" Robin would kill that woman. He was blinded by anger. He would definitely kill her.

"Oops!" It's was the last thing Zelena said before disappearing in green smoke.

* * *

 **Soooo, did I kill Regina, my favorite character?**

 **Hmmmm….wait until the next chapter.**

 **See you! *-***


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry, I'm late! Hehehehehe**

 **I wanted to update this chapter sooner but I'm working in a new job right now and it's on another city. So, right now my life is really complicated and I'm still adjusting myself on this new routine. Don't worry, I won't stop writing this fanfic, it's my** **commitment to you and to myself.**

 **Anyway…thank you very very much for your patience and lovely reviews; I didn't expect that when I started to write it.**

 **In this chapter, Robin is singing for Regina. I hope you like the song I chose for him to sing; I think it's very beautiful and it's very important to me...**

 **Merlin is showing his face in this chapter and I hope you like the way I'm introducing him and the connection he has with this story.**

 **Plus, there's a big revelation here! I know a lot of you already distrust about what I'm talking about, but now I'm affirming that!**

 **Enjoy the chapter…**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7**

"No! No! No! Nooooo!" Robin was screaming and had woken up the whole camp with his screams.

"Robin! Robin! Man! What is wrong with you?" Little John was inside Robin's tend and trying to understand what was happening with his friend.

He was sweating and his whole body was shaking. He was in trance.

 _Was that real? Was that a dream?_

He was in shock, trying to understand what was going on with him, and he didn't notice somebody shaking his arm.

"Robin! Please!" Little John said a bit louder this time and gave a firm shaken on Robin's shoulders.

Finally, Robin woke up, with widened yes and tried to avoid Little John's touch, but his friend was a big man and was able to control his fight.

"What happened?" Robin asked, still confused and dizzy.

"Well, man… I was supposed to be the one asking that for you. You were screaming. You woke up the whole camp!" His friend said with a little of despair and Robin looked ahead and saw his own son looking at him with scared eyes.

"Roland…" Robin whispered and was about to stand up and walk towards his son, but something hit his mind. Regina. She was in dangerous. It was a bad dream but maybe it was a sign. He had to see Regina and to make sure she was alright and safe. That dream had been so real…he had to see her.

"I have to reach Regina. I have to check on her!" He exclaimed, still dizzy, and started to head to the entrance of his tent but his friend put his arm on his front, trying to block him.

"Man, I don't think you are in conditions for it right now. Take a deep breath and rest a little. Tomorrow you can check on her. It's the middle of the night and…"

"Robin… Robin!" Little John tried in vain to stop him but it was too late. Robin forced his way off of the tent, telling his friend to take care of Roland, and seconds later, he was already running through the woods, panting and out of control.

* * *

The cold wind hit his face as he was running desperately into the woods but he couldn't even feel it. He couldn't stop, he couldn't think... he couldn't even breathe properly. He had to be sure Regina was safe. If something had happened to her…

It had been his idea of freeing Zelena from the hospital. Regina was right: the woman was dangerous with or without her magic. If she had done something to hurt Regina, he would never forgive himself. Never! The single thought made his blood boil and tears came to his eyes.

He stumbled through the gates of her house, screaming her name.

"Regina!" He yelled out her name again and a sense of deja vu hit him, but in that time, he was drunk. Now he had a real feeling that something bad was going on with the woman of his life.

He knocked and knocked a few times on the door, hopeful waiting for her answer.

 _Answer, Regina! Answer me, please!_

"Robin?" She opened the door after a while, with sleepy eyes and trying to adjust her eyes to the light.

He heard her voice but he was so nervous and panic, that he was afraid his eyes were deceiving him.

 _It was her, right? Or was he dreaming again?_

He stepped forward and touched her arm to make sure it was really her. The very moment he felt her warmth, his heart skipped a beat. She was fine and alive. She was there, living and breathing. Instantly, Robin stepped closer with one large step and pulled her into a loving embrace, cupping the back of her head and burying his nose in her hair. He needed to feel she was really there in flesh and bone.

He tried to speak something but he was still out of breath from the running and his bad dream.

Regina found herself caught off guard for a moment. The way he had looked at her and was currently holding her, made it seem as if something terrible had just happened.

"Robin, what's wrong?" She asked, and as he backed away and their eyes met.

She noticed the way his chest was moving rapidly and she could feel his heart was practically jumping out of his chest. Robin placed his hands on her cheek, smiling widely and trying hard to suppress the tears.

"Robin, what's going on? You're beginning to scare me!" Regina asked him with a confused expression on her face.

"You're here!" It was the only thing he managed to whisper, with trembling lips.

"I am." She answered, narrowing her eyes.

Instinctively, he pulled her into his chest, hugging her again. He couldn't let her go. He had to feel the warmth of her skin and the smell of her hair.

"Robin, please! Talk to me. You're freezing and breathless! What is going on?" She said, taking one step back.

He couldn't tell her the truth. He didn't want to worry her. It was only a dream. A really bad dream, but it had been so real…

"Robin, I know you and I know something bad happened. You can tell me." She said holding his face.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't think." He leaned his head to her hair, closing his eyes and releasing his breath for the first time since he had woken from that dream.

"I just… I had to know if you were fine... If you were alive." He said and couldn't suppress the tears in his eyes anymore.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"I'm fine, really. I'm here!" She added softly.

"I know, but it was so real." He said and touched her stomach right on the place of her _injury._

"What are you doing?" Regina widened her eyes, stepped back and instinctively put her hands over her stomach.

"The little girl… She said you were in danger!" He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to calm down his nerves, but apparently, his words made Regina froze at her spot and widen her eyes in shock.

"When I arrived at the place the girl had pointed to me, you were there…" Robin had no idea why he was telling her about his dream, he was confused and talking a lot of nonsenses and mismatched words.

"I didn't know it was you, I just followed her and…" He felt his muscles tense up, as he remembered the dream.

"Robin, you are scaring me." Regina finally had found her voice back.

"What little girl?" She stared at him, demanding an explanation.

"She was… you were there too but she disappeared and then appeared again by your side while you were…" He said and stopped suddenly as the memory came to his mind. He shook his head and tried to focus again, but noticed the confused and panicky look on Regina's face.

She was silent, with her mouth half opened and staring eyes. She was feeling like her heart was about to burst from her chest.

It was just a dream!" His eyes drifted close.

"You don't have to worry." He tried to comfort her as soon as he saw her face expression.

"I have no idea why I came here at this hour of the night. I'm so sorry, I didn't want to scare you! I know I'm sounding like a crazy man right now!" He answered and rubbed his forehead with one hand.

Regina gulped and bit her lower lip. She was really confused. She couldn't stare back at his eyes anymore. She couldn't… she had to tell him the truth, maybe his dream was a kind of sign, but that it was a madness at the same time. A dream is just a dream, right?

"Maybe it's a bit of craziness but now I want to know." Regina tensed and took a deep breath, before shrugging.

"What little girl, Robin?" She tried her best to snarl out her words but they ended up sounding more vulnerable than she had hoped.

Robin signed.

 _What the hell was he doing? How crazy was he?_

He came at her house in the middle of the night to disturb her, to worry her. And now, it seemed she was upset and frightened because of him.

"The little girl said you were her…" But before he could complete the sentence, someone interrupted them.

"Regina, what's going on?" Arthur came behind Regina, with only his pajama's pants.

Robin shocked, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

 _Stupid! You're stupid, Robin!_

Robin couldn't even look at them. He shook his head hard, trying to clear his thoughts. Maybe it was a nightmare too, a man in her house, with her. But when he opened his eyes, he saw the reality it was worse than a bad dream. The man was there, by her side, inside her house.

"I only want to make sure Regina was fine." He said after clear his throat but without making any eye contact.

"As you can see, she is fine!" Arthur answered sharply.

"Right! Right! I, I … I'm going!" Those were his final words before he turned around and started to make his way away from there.

"Robin!" Her voice made him stop on his tracks but he couldn't turn around.

She came close to him and stopped right in front of him.

"I… we are not…" She said these words gesturing towards Arthur.

She didn't know what she was supposed to say to him. After she had told Arthur everything in the library, he had offered to spend the night with her, because she had fell apart in tears; she was really confused at that time and had ended up accepting his invitation. It was not on Robin's business who she decided to go home with, but she felt a pang in her heart. She recognized the look on his face. She could remember.

"It's alright." He whispered.

He was deeply hurt but didn't have the energy or the right to start a fight right now, no matter how his mind was screaming inside or how his heart was broken.

"You're fine, that's all that matters right now." He lied, not about her being alive, but about the man being there with her.

He couldn't believe that. The man was in her house spending the night with her.

 _Was he in their bed? Was he touching her?_

 _No. No. Just no!_

He couldn't deal with that, it was too much! At the same night, Regina had died on his arms again and now there was another man in their bed.

 _Their bed_ , he chuckled. It was _her_ bed, not theirs. But she had promised him! She had said that but now there was another man in their bed.

 _Her bed, Robin… her bed!_

He squeezed his knuckles until they turned into white.

 _Jesus!_

He had to get away from there as fast as he could. He couldn't lose control. He had to remember she was fine and alive, that was what matter in that moment.

They kept facing each other for a moment but none of them could say a word or even blink.

"Good night, Regina." He finally broke the silence and couldn't control a single tear dropping from his eye.

She knew exactly what he was thinking. She closed her eyes as she felt his shoulder brushing against hers, as he made his way to the gates. When she opened her eyes to say something, he was already gone.

* * *

 _ **** FLASHBACK ON ****_

Regina was stroking his chest, running her fingers over his warm skin. Robin pulled her closer to him, letting her rest her head on the crook of his neck and wrapped his arms around her middle. Eventually, she pulled back and glared at him.

"I wish we could stay like this forever."

He snorted a laugh and rolled her beneath him. Laughing, he kissed her neck and she let out a loud squeal as he tickled his way down her body, laying and nipping her skin as he went down.

"Robin, we have to get up. The boys will be up soon!"

"So, we have to be quick!" He said with a smirk on his face.

"You said that 30 minutes ago!" She held his head and brought his face to hers.

"Did I? I can't remember! And you are the one saying you wished to stay in our bed forever!"

" _Our_ bed?" She said and narrowed her left brow, leaving an embarrassed Robin. Immediately his face became red as the realization of his words.

"I, ah…" He cleared his throat, trying to say something coherent.

Regina tried to control herself, but couldn't help and let out a loud laugh at the sign in front of her.

"This is not funny, Regina. It's embarrassing!" He tried to defend himself but he failed because his face was totally red.

"So, thief… I can make you blush?" She teased him and rolled her body over his, staring directly at his eyes.

He chuckled.

"I'm not blushing!"

"Really? Do you a need a mirror?" Regina couldn't let that go. He loved push her buttons and make her blush. Now, it was her turn. And she added:

"You are the jealous type of guy?" She started to kiss the skin of his neck while her hand was tracing patterns over his naked chest.

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in nobody here in Storybrooke." She led her hand down to his stomach and her fingers started to play with the waistband of his boxers.

"Unless, of course, a really handsome man shows up here someday." She grabbed his length tightly and murmured these words in his ear, then bit it provocatively.

"Hmm…" He managed to whisper, as she kept teasing him with her fingers and mouth.

"Well, in this case, I'd have to think about it…" She was trying to push his buttons and find out how much jealous about her he could be, but she felt his muscles tensed under her touch. She glared up at him and saw him change his look into a serious one.

Immediately, he stood up on a sitting position and tried to get away from the bed.

"Robin, what is it?!" She grabbed his arm and didn't let him get up.

"It's nothing…" He forced a smile to his face, but didn't look at her.

"Let's get up and make breakfast for the boys." He said and tried to get up again but she was faster and held him by his shoulders.

"Robin, I'm sorry. It was a bad joke." She said and sat on his lap, caressing his cheeks softly.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her chest. He took a deep breath and told her what was bothering him.

"I know it's your bed, Regina. I just… I can't picture another man here with you, touching you. I… I'm just overthinking!" He signed heavily on her chest.

Then, Regina rolled him beneath her and stared down at his face.

"Robin, this is not going to happen. I promise you." She said, winding her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

He let out a soft moan as her lips moved hungrily against his. Her tongue darted out touching his lips, seeking permission to enter which he granted gladly.

"No other man will lie down in _our_ bed!" She smirked at him, raising her left brow.

"You better!" He held her neck and pushed her for another heated kiss, making her laugh into his mouth.

"Hm…" Regina managed to say after the breathless kiss, starting to rub his length with her hands again.

"What?" He closed his eyes, feeling his arousal getting bigger and bigger at the sensation of pleasure of her touches.

"I think you have a problem right there!" She looked at his evident arousal, wetting her lips.

"What are you supposed to do about that?" He asked with his gorgeous dimpled smile.

"Me?" She straddled him right and rubbed her still cover sex against his, making him groaned and she let laughter overtake her.

"Regina…" He said, with a warning tone in his voice.

"What?" She asked, a devilish grin on her face.

"You know? I think more 30 minutes won't hurt!" She added with that provocative smile and bit her lower lip.

She didn't need to tell him twice. Minutes later, he was on top of her with his cock buried deep inside her, groaning nonsenses in her ears. She was moaning beneath him, screaming his name as she reached another orgasm in the morning.

 _ **** FLASHBACK OFF ****_

* * *

Robin was running into the woods and trying to take away of his mind the memories of that day. She had promised him, she had said that no other man would be in their bed, but he knew he had screwed up again.

So, he kept running and running until his breath dropped in his throat. He stopped and anchored his weight against a tree, taking a deep breath. It was over. Everything was over. She had moved on and she had that right. He knew that, but he couldn't control the tears. He sat down on the base of the tree and cried until the first sun shines began to emerge on the horizon.

 _At least she was fine_. He thought with himself.

She was not his anymore but she was safe. She was alive.

* * *

Robin was standing in front of Granny's, thinking about the best decision he should make.

 _Should he get inside or turn back?_

If he turned back and went away, he'd disappoint Henry and he loved the boy. His second option was getting inside there, but in that case, he'd have to face Regina with that man. He gulped and rubbed a hand over his forehead.

He couldn't do that… he should call Henry, give him his gift and go away. But it had been almost one week since he had seen her. The past week had been the worst one. He was missing her more than anything and the distance was killing him, but he couldn't deny that he was disappointed with her. He knew he didn't have the right but he had never thought she could be happy with another man and get over him like that.

 _Was she alright? Was she happy?_

She couldn't be happy without him, could she? The single thought made him shiver and tears came to his eyes, but he knew that maybe it was his selfness speaking for him right now. He should want to see her happy, after all, she deserved that.

He screwed his eyes shut to keep the tears that he felt forming in the corners at bay.

"Daddy, come on!" Roland squeezed his hand, tearing him away from his thoughts.

"You can go, my boy." He said and Roland almost ran into the dinner.

He didn't want to see what he was almost sure he'd see if he got in there, but he had to do that for Henry, he had promise to the boy he'd do it when Henry had invited him last week for his party.

He breathed deeply and finally got inside the place.

The first image he saw made his heart stop; it was the last thing he'd like to see, but he knew that would happen. There she was, more beautiful than ever, smiling and happy, with Roland on her lap and that man by her side. Robin felt his throat begin to constrict and his heart was pounding fast in his chest. He should go away, he couldn't stand that anymore. When he was about to call Roland and turn around, he saw Henry approaching him with a big smile, and that, melted his heart.

"Robin! I can't believe you came!" The boy hugged him tight.

"I promised you I was coming." He tried his best to snarl out his words but they ended up sounding less happy than he had hoped.

"Happy birthday!" Robin said softly and glanced up, his eyes locking with Regina's, who was carefully watching them.

"Thank you for coming, it's really important to me." Henry was aware about the awkward situation but he had shared special moments with Robin and he wanted to share this special date with him too.

"I know it's not easy for you." He whispered, following the line of Robin's vision.

"It's fine, I wouldn't miss it for the world! You're turning into 16!" Robin said, breaking eye contact with Regina.

"I have a gift for you." He completed.

"You don't have to!" Henry nodded his head, smiling brightly at him.

"Of course I do."

"Come on!" He said to Henry and started to walk towards the door, glancing at Roland and catching his attention. The boy stood up immediately from Regina's lap and started to approach them, with a giggling face.

"Where?" Henry stared at him with a confused expression.

"Your gift it's outside! Let's go!" Roland took Henry's hand and started to lead the way outside; the boy couldn't contain his excitement.

Henry and Robin followed the boy outside Granny's, but Henry had no idea what Robin had in mind for him. Still, he was really anxious about his gift.

"Here." Robin said as they stopped on the sidewalk.

"What do you think?" He asked and Henry frowned, but followed Robin's gaze.

"Wow!" Henry exclaimed, as he followed Robin's gaze.

"What did you do to the car? It's seems new, almost a different car!" He completed, walking around the car and looking at it with fascinating eyes.

"I made some mechanical and electronic repairs, some paintings and these kinds of stuff. Did you like it?" Robin asked.

"Of course I did, it's amazing! Can I drive a little?" Henry said enthusiastically.

"Every time you want." Robin said, making his son put a hand over his mouth in a tentative to contain his laugh.

"It's yours!" He completed and handed the keys to Henry.

"What?" Henry asked with a confused look.

"It's your gift, you silly!" Roland walked fast towards him and hugged Henry's legs.

"Robin…" Henry smiled, patting Roland's hair.

"It's our birthday's gift for you, right Roland?"

"Yeah!" The little boy giggled happily in reply.

"I can't…" Henry said, little embarrassed.

"Look, you deserve it, you worked so hard and now it's yours!" Robin gave a comforting squeeze on Henry's shoulder.

"Please, let me do that for you!" He completed.

"Thank you so much!" Henry hugged him again and couldn't control the happiness he was feeling right now.

"Let's drive!" Henry was euphoric and immediately climbed into the car, followed by Roland. Robin was following them, but before he could make his way into the car, he stopped on his track.

"Not so fast!" Robin froze as he heard the voice coming from behind him. He couldn't even turn around and face her, he was afraid to sound vulnerable or idiot or say something stupid.

"Mom, you know I can drive and Robin is going with me, and…" Henry tried to convince his mother.

"I know that!" She cut him and continued to approach them.

Robin didn't move, not even feeling her presence so near to him.

"Despite the fact you don't have your drive license yet, there's a party for you going on in there, remember?" She tilted up an eyebrow.

"But mom, it's my gift!" Henry argued.

"What?" She turned around to face Robin but he didn't look at her yet. He only stood quietly, listening and looking at Henry.

"Robin finished the car repairs and gave it to me as my birthday's gift." Henry completed.

"You did what?" She muttered tenderly only for him to listen.

"I'm sorry… I… I should have talked to you first!" He spun around and finally faced her, eyes full of concern.

She wet her lips and kept staring at his eyes for a moment.

"You gave your car to him." She added quietly, maybe only for her to listen, but Robin could hear her words.

"It's not mine, we fixed it together!" He said and forced a smile to his face.

Regina was speechless. He was giving his car to her son. A car he loved and had worked hard to fix it, a car they shared funny and passionate moments inside it. A wave of emotions washed her heart. She could only stared at this man, standing right in front of her; the man she loved but couldn't stay with, the man that was giving to her son one of the most precious things to him. She wanted to get lost on his embrace, kiss him hard and shows all her emotions to him…. but she couldn't, she had to restrain herself, he was not hers anymore.

"Thank you." It was the only thing she could whisper softly, with tearing eyes. She walked towards him slowly and kissed his left cheek.

Robin froze and his heart stopped. He closed his eyes and tried to blink away the unshed tears. He would enjoy her contact as long as he could and no matter how long they were apart, he could feel their connection would last forever. That strong and unique energy which belonged only to them and it emerged up every time they were close. He knew she could sense that too as he noticed her stepping back a little and putting a lock of hair behind her ear; she only used to do that when she was nervous or graceless.

"You're welcome." He tilted his face up and said that with his gorgeous dimpled smile.

They remained closed, too close for Robin restrains his sanity. That was an awkward silence between them, none of them dared to break the eye contact. Robin was feeling as his heart would jump through his mouth. He could feel her warmth, her breath on his face and her sweet smell invading his senses.

"Mom! Can I drive or not?" Henry said with puppy eyes, making them jump.

"You can, honey!" Regina said, shaking her head and trying to recompose herself.

"Come on, daddy! Let's drive!" Little Roland almost screamed from the back seats.

"Can we...?" Robin asked her, gesturing his hand towards the car.

"Of course!" She answered quickly and he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Why are you not coming? Henry is driving the new car!" Roland exclaimed to Regina.

She gulped, not knowing how to answer him.

"Yes, mom! Please, just this time! Today is my birthday!" Henry begged her.

Regina didn't know what to do.

 _What an awkward situation!_

She couldn't refuse her son's request on his birthday. She breathed deeply and climbed into the car, sitting by Roland's side.

"Let's drive then!" She lifted her hand in the air and tried to sound normal, despite of the actual situation.

"Yeah!" Roland smiled and started to clap his hands.

Regina nodded her head and gave to him a sincere smile but when she turned her head forward, she could see Robin staring at her through the rearview. Her heartbeat fastened immediately but she turned her head to Roland and started a conversation with him.

Regina was impressed by Henry's skills; he was really good at driving. She was proud of him and it was not only her, she could notice that every time Henry did something right, Robin said a few encouraging words to him or messed with his hair. She had dreamed about that a lot of times: the love of her life with her soulmate getting along and the little gracious boy squeezing her hand tight, smiling at her and jumping from his seat in excitement… not mentioning her precious little secret she was carrying by herself for a while.

That was everything Regina had dreamed but it was not her reality anymore and she had to accept it. That was a dream…. a sweet dream she would never be able to live anymore.

 _Why her life, their life, had turned into that mess?_

Unwittingly, she shook her head, with tears running freely down her cheeks and tried to think about something else.

"Look, Regina….the camp!" Roland took her off of her trance and pointed at some place on the woods.

"Yes, sweetheart." She muttered softly, after dry her cheeks with the back of her hands.

"Why are we living in there now? I liked your house!" The little boy said and looked directly at her eyes.

"Because… because…" Regina cleared her throat but couldn't answer him, she didn't want to lie. She stared at the rearview and noticed Robin was staring back at her and, luckily, he intervened.

"Roland, do you want some ice cream at Granny's? Chocolate, maybe?" Robin leaned his head to the backseats and smiled at his son, then turned his attention to Regina, who nodded to him.

"Yes! I love chocolate!" Roland said, getting distracted by Robin's words and turned his attention to something else.

Regina couldn't wait for their arriving before any awkward moment happened. Finally, Henry pulled over the car in front of Granny's and it was over. Regina didn't know if she was sad or happy about that, maybe she was feeling both things at the same time.

"Here we go!" Henry exclaimed as he shut the door closed.

They climbed out of the car and another weird moment happened between Robin and Regina. She kept rubbing her hands on her thighs and biting the inside of her cheeks, clearly embarrassed. He stopped by her side, shrugged and put his hands on his pockets, staring at the floor.

"Roland, I think we should go, it's getting late" Finally, Robin found his voice back and took Roland to his lap.

"No, daddy! You said I could take some chocolate ice cream!" Roland said with a pout on his cute face.

"Another day, I promise you!" Robin shook his head, because he could sense Regina was uncomfortable and he didn't want to make her feel that way.

"Nooooo!" Roland replied.

"Roland…" Robin said firmly, with a warning tone to his voice.

"Robin, please… stay!" This time was Regina asking him to stay. She glared at him and he released a breath he didn't remember he was holding in the first place.

"Yes, at least until I cut the cake! Please!" Henry begged to him.

"You gave to me the best birthday's gift ever… I want you in there!" He added with pledging eyes.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Robin breathed deep and made his decision.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Arthur asked to Regina as soon as he saw her approaching him.

"Henry got a gift… a car!" She said and sat down by his side.

"A car? Wow!" He smiled at her in excitement.

"Who did give it to him?" He questioned.

"Robin." She muttered.

"Did you talk to him?" He tilted his head slightly, raising his eyebrows.

"Not much." She answered quietly, leaning her head down.

"Are you alright?" He asked and squeezed her hands in a comfort manner.

"Yes, don't worry." Regina squeezed his hand back and forced a smile to her face.

Meanwhile, Robin was watching them from his place. He didn't want to see her with that man, but at the same time, he couldn't resist to look at them. Regina was supposed to be by his side. He couldn't admit she had moved on and seeing her happy without him was like stick a sharp knife right through his heart. He had to get away from there as soon as he could, otherwise he'd punch that damn man on the face for daring to touch her.

 _Why was he accepting that? Why did he let her go so easily? Why wasn't he fighting for her?_

Regina was right, he had never fought for her and he had always given up on her. He thought he was an honorable man, always doing the right thing, but giving up on his feelings for her was right or honorable?

"You're the next!" Henry gave a little pat on Robin's shoulder, dragging him from his deep thoughts.

"What?" Robin asked Henry with a confused face.

"That is a karaoke!" Henry pointed at something on the arranged stage.

"A karo what?"

"Karaoke. It's one thing people can sing songs! Go ahead… I know you can sing!" Henry smirked at him with a knowing look.

Robin's eyes widened in confusion but when he glanced at Regina, he saw her trying to contain a smile.

"I can't…"

"Look at my granpha, he is horrible at singing. I really doubt you're worse than him!"

"Oh, come on, mate!" Hook approached them, followed by Emma.

"Are you singing too?" Robin questioned.

"Of course he is." Emma affirmed, smiling at Hook with a mocking face.

"Don't make David and I shamed by ourselves here!" Hook smirked at him.

"Please, daddy!" Roland looked at him with puppy eyes.

"Alright!" Robin sighed, finally giving up.

"Yeah!" Henry and Roland exclaimed together.

"But you have to help me out there because I have no idea how that thing works!" Robin said toward to Henry.

"Of course, I can help you to choose a song." Henry assured to him.

When David finished his _show_ , people breathed in relieve, thanking the Gods he was done. Robin climbed on the stage, following Henry, and the crowd started to clap to him, making him blush. The boy started to show him a list of songs, but Robin didn't know the most of them, but an especial song's name caught his attention.

"That one." Robin pointed at the monitor and Henry nodded his head, selecting that specific song.

* * *

 _ **** FLASHBACK ON ****_

Regina was on her balcony after a long shower with only her robe and some music on, trying to relax and assimilate all the new things that were happening in her life. She was not a villain anymore. She had done the right thing, her happy ending didn't have to be rewrite by a drunk and crazy author. She wanted to get it by her own actions, she had to deserve it. Now she understood that. Maybe things would be more complicated this way, but at least she'd own it. Besides all bad things, she was trying and she wouldn't give up on her happiness. Henry was really proud of her. He was staying in her house almost all the time, as Robin and his little boy too. All quietness and loneliness was replaced by laughs and sometimes, screams. Regina chuckled. That was exactly what she wanted in her house. Now, she could call it as her home.

"A penny for your thoughts, milady." Robin kissed her checks and sat beside her. Regina was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice him coming into her room.

"I was just thinking." She signed and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"About?"

"About everything. Henry, my happy ending, you…" She admitted.

"What is it funny?" She asked because she noticed he was holding a laugh.

"Nothing!" He lied to her, but couldn't control his laugh anymore.

She slapped him on the arm.

"Ouch!" He pretended she did hurt him and caressed his arm, but his smirk and dimples gave him away.

"You know, if I tell that, nobody would believe me!" He added.

"Tell what?" She frowned.

"That you are here all relaxed, listening a romantic song and thinking about me." He said, leaning to her and arching his left brow.

"Don't flatter yourself, thief. I didn't say I was thinking only about _you_!" She replied.

"Oh, yes… Yes, you did!" He said and stole aquick peck from her mouth.

She baffled but before she could defend herself, he continued, still smirking at her.

"What kind of song is that?"

"I don't know!" She said and turned her head away from his look.

"Well, something is telling me that you do know and that you do enjoy it!"

"It's a Bon Jovi's song!" She admitted because she knew she couldn't lie to him. Not to him.

"Is this Bon Jovi a sad person?" He frowned.

"What do you mean?" Regina gave him a confused look.

"That is the saddest song that I ever heard in my life!" He exclaimed.

"Of course it's not. The song is beautiful." She replied.

"So, you're admitting you enjoy the song?" He teased.

"If you tell that to anyone, you're a dead man!" She tried to sound serious to him but of course she failed and he laughed.

"Are you threatening me?" He pretended to be offended.

"No, I'm warning you!" She said and pointed a finger to him.

"Do you really think it's a beautiful song?" He asked and she nodded for him as an answer.

"Come on, Regina! The guy is devastated! His woman is with another man and he still loves her! I can't believe you think that is beautiful!" Robin said completely annoyed because of the song.

"And I can't believe you're complaining because of that! It's only a song, Robin!"

"Yes, a horrible one!"

"Well, you know what they say: a good romantic story is always a tragic one!"

"But that doesn't have to be. I'd never write or sing something like that!"

"What? Can you sing, Robin?" Regina smirked at him and arched her brow eye.

Robin froze. She got him! He had never told Regina he could sing. Actually, he never sang for a woman before, not even for Marian. He had only sang for his Merry Men when they were in front of a fire at the forest, and usually, drunk. At that times, he sang for spend some time, for have fun, but he had never sang for a woman, and he'd like to carry on that way. However, he knew Regina and she wouldn't let that go so easily.

"Sing for me!" Regina said excited, holding a laugh.

He knew it. She wouldn't let that go.

"No!" He answered shortly.

"Why not?" She complained.

"I only sing for my Merry Men. It's just for fun. I'm not good like _your_ Bon Jovi!"

"Of course you're not!" She replied and he made an offended face.

"But if you sing, I could judge that by myself!" She teased.

"I know what you're doing, milady. That's not going to work with me!" He knew she was challenging him, just to make him sing.

"So, you're saying you'd never sing for me?" She frowned.

"I didn't say never, but for now… no!" He emphasized.

"Fine! I didn't want to listen anyway. I bet you have a terrible voice!"

"Stop, Regina! That's not going to work. I told you, I'm not singing for you!" He said.

"Well, maybe you will. Who knows if one day I'd be with another man and let you miserable without me? Maybe in that day you'd sing for me." She teased.

"Regina…" He adverted her with a warning look.

"Robin…" She said, mimicking his reaction.

"You're an insufferable woman!" He laughed at her with sincere and lovely eyes.

"And still, you love me!" She sat on his lap, circulating his neck with her hands and kissed him.

"Always!" He held her nearby her waist with one hand, as he ran his fingers of his other hand through her hair, and touched her lips with his owns once again.

 _ **** FLASHBACK OFF ****_

* * *

Robin took a deep breath, trying to contain the tears that were wetting his eyes as he remembered that day, but everybody was watching him, so he had to hold on.

He cleared his throat and tried to concentrate on the chords of the guitar that had already started to play. He knew he couldn't even lift his head because he'd see her, he could sense her eyes staring at him.

Then, he started to sing.

 _ **This Romeo is bleeding**_

 _ **But you can't see his blood**_

Regina immediately gasped. She couldn't believe he had remembered that song. The memories of that day were passing like a movie in her mind. She closed her eyes and gulped. She had to hold on and try to control her breath, but she started to shake, anyway.

 _ **It's nothing but some feelings**_

 _ **That this old dog kicked up**_

Regina felt tears prickling in her eyes but she was determined to not let them show in front of all these people. _Why was he doing that? Was he trying to torture her?_ Her heart clenched painfully because it seemed that song was written for them, for their situation right now.

 _ **It's been raining since you left me**_

 _ **Now I'm drowning in the flood**_

Robin still couldn't face her. He was looking at every direction, but not hers. He didn't know if she remembered that day he had found her listening to that song.

 _ **You see I've always been a fighter**_

 _ **But without you I give up**_

Robin could remember she was beautiful, calm and happy on that day. He closed his eyes and still could feel her warm breath on his neck and her soft hair brushing on his shoulder, as she leaned to him and kissed his lips.

 _ **I can't sing a love song**_

 _ **Like the way it's meant to be**_

 _ **Well I guess I'm not that good anymore**_

 _ **But, babe, that's just me**_

A tear left Regina's eye but she didn't even notice it. She was frozen at her place. She couldn't think or even breathe properly. She could only look at him and notice the dark circles under his eyes and his pale face.

 _ **And I will love you, baby**_

 _ **Always  
And I'll be there, forever and a day**_

 _ **Always**_

When he sang the last sentence, he was finally able to lift his head to her direction, his eyes laying on hers. His heart skipped a beat as their eyes locked, neither of them dared to break the eye contact.

 _ **I'll be there till the stars don't shine**_

 _ **Till the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme**_

He wanted to make sure she knew that that song was for her, but at the look he saw on her face, he noticed she did.

 _ **I know when I die, you'll be on my mind**_

 _ **And I love you, always**_

Regina could see the sadness in his eyes but she tried to stay strong. She shook her head and finally, looked away from him.

 _ **Now your pictures that you left behind**_

 _ **Are just memories of a different life**_

She closed her eyes and tried to forget about the memories that were now crossing her mind. Memories of that times when she started to have hope that everything would be fine.

 _ **Some that made us laugh**_

 _ **Some that made us cry**_

 _ **One that made you have to say good bye**_

She remembered their happy days together; the sweet taste of happiness she had experienced by his side, but now, it was over.

 _ **What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair**_

 _ **To touch your lips, to hold you near**_

 _God!_ How much he missed to touch her hair, to bury his hands in them. How much he missed to touch her lips and hold her close to him.

 _ **When you say your prayers, try to understand**_

 _ **I've made mistakes, I'm just a man**_

Not having her by his side was killing a part of him every day. He knew he would never be complete again without her.

 _ **When he holds you close**_

 _ **When he pulls you near**_

 _ **When he says the words**_

 _ **You've been needing to hear**_

When Robin sang that part, everybody stared at Regina and Arthur. The man grabbed Regina's hand firmly and stared back at Robin, looking directly at him with a defiant look. Robin hated that guy, maybe because he was jealous or because that man was making her smile – a thing that Robin was not able to do anymore, due to his wrong choices.

 _ **I wish I was him, cause those words are mine**_

 _ **To say to you till the end of time**_

He wanted to scream for everybody hears that he loved her, that he was able to do anything for her. If he could build a damn portal to travel through time and undo the wrong things he had done, he would! But he couldn't… the damage was already done!

 _ **If you told me to cry for you, I could**_

 _ **If you told me to die for you, I would**_

 _ **Take a look at my face**_

He had never felt so stupid in his life. Regina was moving on because of his stupidity, and there he was, miserable, on a stage and singing a horrible love song – according to his own words – for her.

 _ **There's no price I won't pay**_

 _ **To say these words to you**_

Robin could do anything, everything if Regina asked him. He knew he had made mistakes again but what else could he do? Again, he didn't have a choice and again, he had hurt Regina in the process.

 _ **Well there ain't no luck in this loaded dice**_

 _ **But babe if you give me just one more try**_

Everything he wanted and needed was getting her back and getting the life they were used to share together, them and their sons. He needed that as the air he was breathing. He needed to feel her warm and listen her laughter again. He needed... He needed _her_. His Regina.

 _ **We can pack up our old dreams and our old lives**_

 _ **We'll find a place where the sun still shines**_

As the melody was playing, he kept singing and feeling the burden of the song's words, he couldn't control his tears anymore, so he let them fall ashamed on his face.

 _ **I will love you, baby**_

 _ **Always  
**_

Regina couldn't listen nothing more. She felt like her heart was about to burst from her chest. She couldn't even look at him. She only caught a glimpse of his tears streaming down his cheeks and swallowed hard. She had to get out of there before she collapsed. Suddenly, she got up, did excuse herself without looking at no one and left the dinner, not looking behind her. Robin closed his eyes and breathed deeply, panic seeped back into him, but he had to try to end the song.

 _ **And I'll be there, forever and a day**_

 _ **Always  
**_

Then, the song was over and Robin stayed on the stage staring at the closed door. People kept silent, looking at him. In a tentative to relieve the mood, David stood up and started to cheer for him, followed by other people.

Robin come down of the stage really embarrassed and was making his way out of Granny's when he felt a hand touching his chest, trying to stop him.

"Aren't you tired of hurting her?" Arthur's voice.

Robin wanted to punch the guy hard on the face. He clutched his knuckles so tight until they became white, but he remembered that that was Henry's birthday party and his son was there. He couldn't do that but he didn't know if he could control himself anymore. He was waiting for that since the first time he had saw that damn man by Regina's side. For a moment, he couldn't think brightly because anger was taking control of him. With a fast move, he grabbed the man's collar and it was about to punch him, but David interfered.

"Slow down, mate." David said holding Robin's arm.

"Henry… Roland!" David whispered to Robin.

When Robin looked around, he saw the boys facing him with widened eyes. Immediately, Robin released his hands from the man.

"I'm sorry." It was the only thing he said to Henry, who was approaching him.

"I need some air…Roland!" He tried to call the little boy but Henry was decided to help him.

"Go, I watch him."

"Thank you." He said to Henry before turning around and leaving Granny's.

After he closed the door, he could listen a _"Stay away from her!"_ coming from inside the place.

 _Never!_ He thought with himself.

He was decided to get her back and he wouldn't give up on her again. He'd fight for her until the end of his days, no matter how many kings would cross his way.

* * *

Regina stumbled through the Granny's door and headed to nowhere. She was panting, her lips were trembling and the air inside there wasn't enough for her to breathe properly. She reached for a bench and supported the weight of her body there, trying to recompose herself. She looked behind, seeing a person leaving the Dinner and starting to approach her.

 _Robin._

She started to walk fast, with large steps but he was faster and she only felt his arm catching her waist softly from behind.

"Please, stop! Don't run away from me!" He murmured, his arms were clenching her waist and his thumbs were rubbing random patterns on her stomach.

 _Does he know?_

She signed, turned around, looked at him in the eyes and saw the despair on his face. She should walk away from him, that was the right thing to do, but she couldn't, she didn't find enough strength for doing that.

They kept staring at each other, face to face and breathe to breathe for a while until she was brave enough to break the silence, with a weak voice.

"I knew you had a beautiful voice…." She smiled at him and he couldn't contain his happiness, sighing in relief.

"But that song is still horrible!" He said, making Regina roll her eyes.

"Regina, I…" He tried to say the three words for her, but he knew he had to do more than that, he had to make her believe in him again, he had to prove his words for her, and not just say them.

"I know…" She said, looking down.

Robin wasn't able to control himself anymore, looking at her right in front of him, so broken and hurt. He knew she wasn't ready, he knew she needed time and he had to work hard to get her trust back.

However, he couldn't avoid but lean forward, closing the small distance between them, cupping her cheeks and capturing her lips with his own.

That was it! He needed to feel her warmth no matter the consequences after that.

She widened her eyes in surprise and startled at first, but then relaxed against his body and let him kiss her.

 _You shouldn't be doing that, Regina!_

The voice of her conscience was screaming for her to stop but when she felt his beard scratching against the soft skin of her cheeks, she got lost. She'd listen to the reason after that, but right now, she was ignoring all good sense and reacting according her body's needs and the voice of her heart.

 _Fuck the reason!_

She winded her arms around his neck and deepened the contact of their tongues. She was kissing him and she was kissing him hard. Actually, she was devouring his lips with hers, as he was doing the same to hers. And that felt so good and so right…

She had to stop that, she would stop that… she was stopping that now!

But apparently, he could read her mind, and seeing her sudden hesitation, he bit her lower lip.

 _Oh_! She wasn't going to stop it now, because right now, she was moaning and her body was saying the opposite.

Robin let out a soft moan as her lips moved hungrily against his. He fisted his fingers into her hair, deepened even more their kiss. He was in heavens, he had been dreaming about it every single night, and there she was, letting him kiss her, letting him feel her again. He was afraid to open his eyes and she disappear from there, so he would enjoy this moment as long as he could.

 _Stop it, Regina!_

That damn voice was screaming to her again and making her think about the consequences. But with him, it was so easy to forget about the complications that life had threw into their paths, to let it go and pretend that everything was fine, except it was not.

"I'm sorry… I can't…" She muttered, under her breath, putting her hands on his chest and breaking the kiss.

His heartbeat didn't even get a chance to slow down before she ran away from him. He wanted to come after her, to beg her forgiveness, but she was already gone.

* * *

Regina ran, literally ran into the woods. She could use her magic and transport herself for another place, but she wanted to feel the wind on her face, to breathe the pure smell of the threes and hear the silence of the nature. She needed that. She needed to be alone and think about what she had just done.

She couldn't do that to him or to herself. She was confused and letting him confused too. She had said she didn't want him anymore, but she let him kiss her.

 _Where's the coherency?_

She stopped near to a three and put her hands on the trunk to support her weight, or her sorrow, or her burdens.

When she looked around, she saw it.

 _Their log._

She chuckled sarcastically.

 _The destiny was indeed a bitch!_

For all places she could end up right now, she was there, where everything had started, at least in Storybrooke.

"I can see you have a lot in mind." Came an unknown voice behind her. Immediately, she turned around, seeing an old man staring at her.

"Who are you?" She widened her eyes and tried to focus on the person who was studying her from head to toe.

She leaned her head in confusion because she had never seen that man before. Certainly he was not a Storybrooke resident. He was almost an ancient, his grey hair, white beard and the signs he was carrying on his face, were showing the long path he had travelled in his life. However, he had a resolution in his eyes and an honest smile on his face.

"You have to learn how to control your magic." He said, not answering her question, but putting more doubts in her mind.

"Do you know me?" She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm here because of you." He said with so much patience in his voice that almost annoyed her.

She concentrated at the man features, analyzing his figure and trying to figure out if she knew him. She gasped as a thought crossed her mind.

 _He was Merlin! He had to be!_

"What do you want from me?" She tried her best to snarl out her words but they ended up sounding more vulnerable than she had hoped.

"You're carrying a precious and unique soul, the one I was waiting for a long time!" He tried to approach her, stepping forward.

"Don't come any closer…" She stepped back and put a protective hand around her stomach, fear exhaling through her body.

She was really confused; she had been looking for answers since Dr. Whale had told her she was pregnant. Answers that could explain how or why that was happening to her, but no book could give her a reasonable explanation.

That was not possible! She had drunk an infertile potion a long time ago; she was supposed to be barren! There was no way she could be carrying a child!

She was scared, but at the same time, she had never been so happy in her life.

 _She was carrying a child! Her little miracle… Robin's and hers little miracle!_

"Don't try to find a reasonable explanation for everything. You live in a world with magic and your daughter has magic, like mine!" Merlin spoke and her eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" She was trying to sound strong but gasped, despite of herself.

"She is product of soulmates, conceived with true love. Do you have any idea how much powerful and unique she is?" He was trying to clarifying to her.

"She?" Regina's eyes squeezed hard as the old man told her about what she had already sensed, but still wasn't sure about it. It was too soon for her to know the baby's gender but she didn't need any test to prove that; since she had figured out she was pregnant, she could sense it was a girl.

"Your daughter." He assured her, with an honest look.

"Her kind of magic is really rare and only appears in centuries. I'm looking for it for a long time and I had finally found it on her." He completed.

"Why do you need her?" She stepped back once more, making a good distance between them.

There was no sorcerer or any strong magic that could take her little girl away from her.

 _She was hers!_

Regina was able to do anything or hurt anyone to guarantee the safety of her daughter. If she had to turn into the Evil Queen again, she would, but nothing or nobody would hurt her little princess.

"I'm not here to hurt her, quite the opposite…. I'm here to protect her!" The man tried to calm down her nerves, telling her his intention.

"Nobody will take her away from me, not even you!" Regina felt her blood boil as Merlin hit too close to the mark.

"As I said, I'm here to protect her, to assure she will be born. I'm not hurting her, trust me." He insisted, trying to explain that his real intention were good and he was there to help her, and more important, her baby.

"Why?" Regina was a little relaxed after she had seen the honesty in his eyes, but she kept her guard up, giving him a suspicious look.

"I'm on this position for a long time…" He said and carefully approached her but this time she didn't stepped back.

"Lately I started to feel weak…" He continued.

"I'm dying…" He admitted and Regina felt sadness in her heart that she couldn't explain the reason.

"But when I arrived here, dragging with my people by an inexplicable source of power, I understood why." He said and continued.

"She'll be my replacement." He concluded, pointing a finger to where her daughter was resting quietly and growing old every single day.

 _Why was she so quiet? Wasn't she feeling threatened?_

Regina didn't understand because every time her baby had exploded its magic though her body, it had been in a moment of fear.

 _But why not now? Was this man a friend? Was he telling the truth?_

"No, she' won't!" She shook her head, trying to focus again on the man in front of her, because no matter what were his intentions towards her daughter, she wouldn't allow that her little girl would have to carry that heavy burden.

"Regina… please, let me finish." He tried to speak to her again; his time was short and he had to make her understand the gravity of the situation.

"How do you know my name?" She raised her eyebrows as she regarded the sorcerer.

"I know everything about you." He smiled at her.

"You had tried to run away from your destiny but here you are: carrying a child of your soulmate." He pointed that out, making Regina widen her eyes even more, if that was even possible.

"It was prophesied, no matter what you do, it had been always your fate… and hers." He said, making her remembers Tinkerbelle's words and she froze at her place.

 _Was that her fate? Having a Robin's child?_

"You don't have to be scared. She has a gift and she'll use it for good." He said, hopefully.

"But…" The sorcerer started to explain but stopped, afraid of Regina's reaction.

"But what?" She asked, a small bit of bitterness showing in her voice.

"You have to protect her. There're dark forces working against it but she has to be born!" Merlin was really worried about Regina's child.

"She will be born." She affirmed, with a firm tone.

"I trust that." He nodded his head.

"I wish I could help you more but I can't… my magic is fading away from me while she is using hers."

"How can I stop that?" She asked, really concerned.

"You can't, she has the stronger magic of all and you have to learn with her. She doesn't know what she is doing but you are her mother, you can sense her, you can feel her needs and fears, and only you can control it." He explained to her.

"What if can't?" She was desperate and she needed to know how to control that strong magic.

"You have to." He said with determination in his eyes.

"If you were reunited with her father, the task would be easier…"

"You're not serious!" She gave him a sarcastic look.

"Indeed I am. She is the daughter of soulmates, persons who share the same soul; when the two parts are together, they can be stronger and can protect her more efficiently." Merlin clarified.

"You're saying that while she is becoming more powerful, you're becoming weaker?" Regina asked.

"Exactly." He nodded.

"So when she is born…"

"I'll be dead." He admitted and she glanced to him with solidarity.

"Don't worry, I need to rest. My time here is over and I'm grateful for it." He gave her a confident smile.

"I'm sorry." She had pain and sincerity in her eyes.

"Don't be. Protect your little girl and make sure to love and help her to accomplish her mission."

"I'm the Evil Queen! How is that possible?" She was confused and couldn't believe her daughter could be so powerful.

"That's why you were chosen for a long time, but only now you're ready. You have the most resilient heart and you're trying to redeem yourself. That's harder than if you had always been good. Like her father… he made a lot of mistakes but he is still trying to choose the right path." He said and continued.

"You two are not perfect, but you have good souls and that's why you're the right ones… you love each other and you were destined to be together, to take care and love her, despite the difficult path you're having to face it!" He concluded and Regina felt tears prickling in her eyes but she was determined to not let them show, but failed. The man was saying her story, her past and present, and maybe, her future.

"I can protect you, come with me! I have my vault and…" She extended a hand, despite herself.

She was feeling a need to help the man, maybe because she was convinced that he was speaking the truth or her daughter could be at the same position as his one day, needing help.

"I can't… _she_ is the only one who needs concerns right now!" He shook his head no and Regina noticed a sincere smile on his face.

 _Was he happy about dying? Or was he grateful for her attempt of help?_

"Wait!" She tried to stop him, leaning her hands towards him.

"Where are you going?" She stepped towards him, as she noticed he was waving his hand and she knew he was about to disappear in a cloud of magic.

"I have to comply with my destiny, not matter how hard it is… promise me you'll take care of her, Regina!" He almost begged her.

"I would do anything for her! I could die for her!" She promised, letting the tears stream down her cheeks freely.

"That's why you had been chosen!" He nodded her head in consent, smiling brightly, before disappeared in a light blue smoke.

Regina tried to compose herself as the man had gone, but it wasn't easy. She was trying to process the fresh revelations that the man had told her.

Her daughter was destined to be the new most powerful sorcerer of the whole lands.

A girl.

Her girl.

Her daughter.

The daughter of the Evil Queen and a common thief.

A little human being that was growing inside her womb, a product of her love for him, her soulmate, a man she had ran away a long time ago, but had met again, had loved and still loved.

She touched her stomach, not caring about the tears that were running down her cheeks.

She was having a baby, a girl, her little princess, her little miracle.

A girl that she didn't even had put the eyes on her face, but already loved with her whole heart and soul.

She was crying and laughing at the same time, but they were tears of join.

Despite the circumstances, she'd face them… and she would face them bravely!

She wasn't lying to Merlin, she was able to do everything for her little miracle, for her little girl…. and she would.

* * *

 **Sooo?**

 **Did you really think Cora was talking about Zelena's baby on Regina's dream? You were wrong! Hehehehe**

 **Since I had the idea for this fanfic, I wanted to do that. For the ones who asked me during the first chapters if Regina was sick, well, now you have your answer.**

 **I had always wanted Regina getting pregnant on the show and her baby with Robin being special. After they did that to Zelena, I was really upset and I don't know if now I want it for Regina on the show; I think would be really weird for the babies: would they be brothers or cousins? IDK! It's really complicated! But don't worry, in this fanfic, we don't have to face that kind of complication (no more spoilers! Hahahha).**

 **Let me know what you're thinking. I wanted to make a connection between OQ baby and Camelot. Did you like her little girl having that special kind of magic, like Merlin's?**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I know it's been a long time since my last update. As I said before, my life is complicated, but right now I have things under control and the next update won't take so long. So thanks for the ones who are still with me and still waiting for this chapter.**

 **This is the longest chapter I've ever written (it's my way to say sorry for the delay! Hehehehe).**

 **I'm posting the chapter right now but it's partially betaed (sorry for my mistakes). When it's done, I'll repost it.**

 **Before you read the chapter, I wanted to remember that, as I told you in the first chapter, the Darkness is still surrounding the town and it didn't try to catch Regina as in the show, but now it making its appearance.**

 **For the first time, I wrote about the Missing Year and I really hope you enjoy it. Ahhh, I don't know on the show, but here, there's a dance. Add, I wrote something in this chapter that I think every OQ fan always wanted and I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.**

 **Thank you very much for my betas, Mon and Gabi, you rock!**

 **For some friends: Leticia Rozendo (you're really special to me), Reinette (Polypocket, your words** **of affection and encouragement inspires me), Gabi (I love your audios freaking out about this story), Tuane (This time I remembered you, so stop complaining! hahaha), Arancha (Thank you for been my GA) and for those who have always encouraged my writing. Thank you very much.**

 **Just a notice: all flashbacks are real.** ** **Well, at least on this story, they really happened.** When you read it, you understand what I'm talking about.  
**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for your support.**

* * *

CHAPTER 8

"What am I doing here?" Merlin widened his eyes as he tried to stand on his feet, seeing the bars around him. He rubbed his eyes, taking in his surroundings and noticed a woman figure staring at him from outside of his "cage".

"Don't be so thankless. I rescued you." Zelena said as she approached him, with a smirk on her face.

"I really doubt that." He replied and stepped back as he sensed the woman's magic, and it was not the good kind of magic, he could tell.

"You were laying down on the forest and unconscious." She pointed that out and raised a finger at him.

"And you rescued me and put me on a cell?" He scoffed sarcastically.

"Just for precaution, judging by who you are." She grabbed the bars with both hands and stared at him curiously.

"You know me." He breathed out and closed his eyes. He had already heard about her but didn't have the displeasure to meet her in person… well, until right now.

"Actually, I'm looking for you since I had heard the news that people from Camelot were here." Zelena started to walk around the cage, like a predator around its prey.

"Can you imagine my surprise when I found you?" She glanced at him from head to toe with disdain.

"I thought you couldn't use magic anymore." Merlin had known about Zelena's condition. He knew about what she had done and that the "good guys" had put on her wrista magical artifactto prevent her from use magic, but apparently, she had found a way to get rid of it.

"Oh, so I'm not the only one doing some researches." She looked at him in the eyes, leaned her head between the bars.

"I found a way, I had always found a way." She laughed defiantly.

"Let's say the old Dark One helped me. Of course, I had to ask him politely…" She had paid a visit to Rumple, who was really weak now, in a bed and without his magic.

She could say it was really easy to get what she wanted, since she had Belle's heart in her hand and threatened him to squeeze it if he didn't tell her how to get away from the bracelet. So he did tell her and she made Belle give her the dagger. She erased Belle's memories, and since then, she was pretending to not been able to perform magic, because she was just waiting for the right moment. Of course, as always, she had a wicked plan in mind.

"Anyway, this is none of your business." She barked out.

"I need something from you." She pointed a finger at the magician.

"What do you want from me?" The old man asked but he already knew what the answer would be.

"Oh, it's simple!" She gave a little scoff and started to walk around his cell again.

"I want to be the next Dark One!" She concluded. Besides Rumple's _kindness_ about the bracelet, she was using his cabin in the woods. She had planned everything and her intention was clear since the beginning: she would catch Merlin and make him her prisoner until she could get what she wanted from him.

"It's not possible." The magician nodded his head negatively.

"Don't play with me, old man." Zelena raised her hands and, magically, suspended the man from the ground, throwing him against the bars.

"I know you're the only one able to perform that." She faced him angry, faces only inches apart, and squeezed his neck more and more.

"In this case…I can't." He tried to say those words between the lacks of oxygen. He was convinced the woman would kill him if he didn't do what she wanted, but even if he wanted to do what she was asking, he couldn't, because even the darkness had its rules. What the woman was asking for was almost impossible.

"You're weak and your magic is fading away." She squeezed his neck even tight, if that was even possible.

"I could kill you in a blink of my eyes." She huffed, demandingly.

"I really doubt that!" Merlin managed to sound insolent to her, despite his situation. He wouldn't show his fear towards the woman and he knew Zelena needed him. Maybe she'd kill him but he was sure she wasn't doing it right now, she needed him to accomplish her wishes first.

"If you kill me… you wouldn't be able to become… what you want!" He tried to sound firmly, despite his voice was fading away and he couldn't breathe properly anymore.

"You're clever." She scoffed, reeling her hand out of the grasp on his neck, but looked at him with angry and devil eyes.

"Of course I wouldn't kill you before you do what I want you to do for me." She sharply turned away from him, pacing back and forth; as she was wondering about what kind of torture she was supposed to do with him.

"As I told you, it's impossible!" He noticed her impatience and tried to explain the truth to her; he wasn't lying when he said he couldn't do what she was asking him to do.

"Don't make me lose my patience with you. You'll do exactly what I want even if I have to take your heart out and control you." Angry was growing fast inside her; if she didn't need the idiot old man, she would be pleased to kill him right now, but make him suffer a lot first, of course.

"You see..." She lost her temper and sanity, if she even had that before, and let her hand inside the cell, taking his heart out of his chest and making him gasp hard.

"See?" She hold his heart in her hands, with a look of disgusting.

"You don't have a choice!" A bitterness showing in her voice when she spoke those words.

"Try that…" He said, pointing at his heart, now with his weak feet, trying to support his trembling body on the ground.

"I wouldn't be able to perform that magic for you, not while you're on this condition." He didn't lie to her. He wouldn't be able to perform his magic, not while she was pregnant, despite the fact that he knew if he did that, everything would be lost, Regina's baby would be in danger as never before and maybe, his replacement wouldn't been born.

"What do you mean?" Only said the woman in front of him, grabbing the bars of the cell even harder and staring at him with a deathly look.

"Even the darkness has its rules." Merlin was being sincere with her.

"You're pregnant. The darkness would never possess you and even if it does, it'd possess the baby first, an innocent soul. And I'm sure any baby wouldn't survive on that." He told her the truth and could sense her muscles tensed up.

"You're lying!" Zelena felt her blood boil beneath her skin.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She, intentionally, got pregnant because she wanted to hurt her sister, to make her suffer, but she had never wanted it, she had never wanted to be a mother, to have a baby. Her plan was fading away… her sister was apparently happy with another man and here she was: carrying a baby that she had never wanted, a baby conceived by revenge, with a man she barely knew, but hated. She knew he was the soulmate of her naïve sister and that's why she got pregnant in the first place… to hurt her sister and she knew what a product of soulmates was capable of.

"You have my heart! You'd know if I was lying to you." He replied and she knew he was telling the truth.

"Arghhhh! Damnit!" She croaked out in a loud and frustrated tone. The baby, who was supposed to be her revenge, was now disturbing her plans.

"I'll find a way! I have to be the Dark One." She couldn't care less about the life growing inside her. She had a mother before, not a real one, but she had had it anyway. Her fake mother was a good and honest woman, who took her from misery and raised her as her own daughter, but Zelena would never forgive what her real mother had done to her. When she figured out who her real mother was and that that damn woman had kept another girl instead of her, well…. she couldn't forgive Cora and she wouldn't forgive her damn sister. In her mind, her sister had it all while she had been abandoned in the middle of the forest.

"While you're pregnant, you can't." He said and continued.

"The darkness would possess the baby, not you, that if the baby would survive." Merlin responded, folding his hands in front of him and taking Zelena away from her thoughts.

"I can't believe it! This baby is useless!" She complained.

"A life is a life, always important. Don't do anything you can regret later because if you try to..." He tried to warn her but she interrupted him.

"Like I care about that…" She said, pointing at her stomach, keeping her voice indifferent.

"I'd thank you for the wise words… but I won't!" She stated, gritting her teeth and squaring her shoulders.

"My only concern right now is become powerful, become the new Dark One and destroy my sister and make her suffer!" She stated firmly, making her intentions and priorities pretty clear for him.

"Apparently, despite what I have done, my little sister can be happy without her soulmate and now I can't become the Dark One because of it!" She pointed to her stomach reproachfully again.

"Why are you laughing?" She said, a look of irritation taking residence in her eyes, as she saw the old man smiling at her.

"Destiny!" He simple answered, with a knowing look towards her.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You had done a lot of things to hurt your sister and I'm not only talking about this child…"

"I know what you did to your sister!" He stated strongly.

"Maybe you could have threatened the author and I'm sure you had counted on the old Dark One's help. Maybe you could have come back in the past and tried to change everything, but you can't change what is prophesied." Merlin said and a bit of guilty washed him. He should have told Regina the truth, but he hesitated. He had always been a man who had never tried to change faith. He knew how dangerous that could be, and he had always believed that the destiny would always find a way to keep its course.

"I changed my destiny!" She exclaimed angrily.

"Are you sure?" He narrowed his eyes and looked at her.

"She can be happy, but she isn't with him anymore…" She scoffed and shook her head.

"And even if she was, she wouldn't be able to have children with him!" She glared at Merlin with a victorious face.

"So, I changed everything and you will make me the Dark One!" She pointed a finger at him and laughed.

"Even if it was possible, I don't have my wand, without it, I can't do anything." He replied.

"I can arrange that. I'm sure Rumpelstiltskin know where it is."

"As I said, I'll find a way to become the Dark One; I had always found a way." She barked out as she was leaving the room, closing the door as she left and leaving a worried but smiling Merlin behind her.

 _If only she knew the truth._ He thought with himself.

* * *

*** _**FLASHBACK ON**_ ***

 _Enchanted Forest, many years ago…_

"There, he's your soulmate." Tinkerbell pointed her finger at a man who was sitting on a chair, inside an old tavern, with his backs turned to the door.

"The guy with the lion tattoo." The fairy emphasized.

Regina breathed deeply and rubbed her trembling and sweaty palms on her dress, staring at the green magic glowing on the man's tattoo.

 _What if he was a drunk and a horrible man?_

Her life with the king was horrible enough and she would never be happy with that old man. In fact, she was practically a prisoner, but meeting this guy could be even worse.

"I can't do this!" She stepped back and gulped, her whole body was shaking in panic.

"Of course you can. This is your chance at love and happiness!" Tinker was trying to convince her and take Regina from that miserable life she had been forced in to.

"Go get him." She gave a little push on Regina's back, blinking at her hopefully.

Regina could have her freedom and that fairy was giving her this option right now. All the pain in her past would be just that… past. But it wasn't easy; she had no idea how she was supposed to approach her soulmate. She was scare and confused, but a possibility to find love again and maybe build a family, as she has always dreamed, made her heart pound faster inside her chest.

"Okay, I can do this. I can be happy." She took a breath and a shiny smile appeared on her face.

"Pixie dust doesn't lie, Regina. Trust me, inside here lies the beginning of your happiness." The fairy assured her, pointing at the man inside the tavern.

"Now, go!" She completed, with a radiant smile towards the queen and started to walk away from her.

"Wait!" Regina exclaimed as she saw that Tinkerbell wouldn't wait for her.

"Aren't you staying here?" She asked, widening her eyes in fear.

"This is your fate and I've never seen pixie dust fail. You'd do it well by yourself." Those were the last words the fairy said before disappear into the dark street.

Regina closed her eyes, freezing on her tracks. She looked at the man and turned her head to the street in confusion a few times. She should run, let the hesitation consume her or she could ignore all her fears and step inside. It was her choice to change her future and maybe find happiness. She sighed deeply, looking at the starry sky, asking to whatever God to help her, before she decided to open the door and enter the place.

There he was, her soulmate, drinking with his buddies and apparently happy.

 _So what now?_

She didn't know how to approach him. Did she have to introduce herself?

 _Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Regina, your soulmate!_

She shook her head at the ridiculous of the situation. She had never approached a man before and she didn't know how she was supposed to do that; despite been a married woman, she didn't have that experience. She dated Daniel, just him, and happened by chance, she didn't have to flirt with him. And the king… well, she rather not to think about that right now.

She looked around as she stepped forward. The tavern was grungy, old and dimly lit by a few tallow candles, the smoke rose to linger around the wooden beams in a choking grey miasma hanging over the head of the tavern's occupants. The soft murmuring of the place had become much louder since she had entered, and the sound of an unknown music began to play in the background.

There was a few of interesting women there, wearing different outfits with extravagant necklines. The guy would never look at her, she thought with herself. Deep inside, she was still a shy and naïve girl, but since she was there, she would take her chances… if there was even one.

She sat on the bar, ordered a cup of wine, trying to act normal, despite her shaking hands and confused thoughts. She listened to the babble of talk around her and the suspicious glances that some men were throwing at her. Trying to not been catch on the act, she slowly turned her head, searching for him, because she didn't even had a chance to see his face yet. In the corner, she saw a group of drunks arguing over a woman, on the side there was a mercenary deal going down, in the other corner a couple was dancing, but where was he?

She suddenly despaired, turning her head to the table he was not just one minute ago and not finding him there anymore. She was there because of him and now he was in nowhere to been found. She should leave the place and come back to the horrible life she was fated. Maybe happiness wasn't meant for her, maybe it had die along with Daniel. Coming inside the place was definitely been a horrible idea! Tears started to form on her eyes and before she fell apart in front of these men, she had to get out of there!

With unshed tears in her eyes, that she didn't know if were from sadness or angry, she stood up, turning around abruptly and trying to leave the tavern as fast as she could. But something in her way, maybe her own gangling feet, made her lose her balance. She was feeling more ridiculous now than never because she would fall with her face on the floor, in the middle of a tavern with a lot of strange people and…

"Milady?" Came a voice with a notable accent, as she felt strong arms holding her by the waist.

"Are you alright?" The mysterious man leaned his head, staring at her, as she tried to compose herself.

"It's…" She would say "Your Majesty" but she gulped her own words; it was for the best if she kept her identity just for herself.

"I'm fine!" She shouted angrily. She just wanted to get away from there, as her lovely soulmate didn't give a shit for her and disappeared out of blue. Now, this insufferable man was hindering her way out and holding her close to him.

 _Wait? Was he still touching her? Why wasn't she avoiding him?_

She looked at his blue eyes for the first time, then to his hands on her waist, then into his eyes again, which were deeply staring at hers, studying her. She did that movement a few times, until she was getting dizzy. She was trying to figure out what was happening to her, since she didn't take his hands away from her immediately and, to be honest, she didn't have the intention of doing it. Maybe it was because she was feeling warm, protected and a wave of electricity was running through her entire body. Or maybe because she was feeling fragile, in need for some kind of human contact, or maybe because they were only a few inches from each other's mouth and a crazy idea of kissing him crossed her mind.

 _No! That was unacceptable!_

She was there to meet her soulmate and not to feel strange things towards a random strange man. She shook her head and saw the man opening his mouth to speak something, and when he did, she frowned.

"A simple "thank you" would suffice." He teased, before she could complain about anything else.

"I didn't ask for your help." She straightened her posture and stepped back from his touch, missing his warmth immediately, but she wouldn't allow herself to admit it.

"Now if you excuse me…" She waved for him to move away from her front.

"Oh, of course, Your Majesty!" He moved his body to her left, allowing its passage, but all the time he kept smirking at her. She didn't dare to look at him, but she could see from the corner of her eyes, his adorable dimples at display.

She lifted her chin, walking fast and regally, because she was a Queen and she wouldn't show the apparent effect the man was causing on her.

 _Wait? Your Majesty?_

She stopped in her tracks, widening her eyes in shock.

"You know who I am." She threw over her shoulder.

"Of course. I could catch a glimpse of you inside a carriage in one of my duties." He said, approaching her again.

Robin didn't know why, but since he saw this woman walking inside the tavern, his eyes glued on her an inexplicable way; she was breathtaking. He kept observing every single move she had done since then: the lovely way she put her hair behind her ear, the way she turned her head around, maybe in a search for someone, the way she bite her lower lips... He knew she wasn't the kind of woman who frequented taverns, judging by her clothes and her behavior, and when he came close to her, he noticed the truth: she was the Queen.

Even knowing that, and maybe knowing his acts would cost his head, he was brave, or fool enough, to approach her. He couldn't help, he felt this need to tease her, and if he was honest, to flirt with her. That woman was intriguing and amusing him. Apparently she was looking for someone, but inside a tavern? What was a Queen with sad eyes, if he could tell, doing in a tavern? He had to know and he wanted to know her. He didn't know why, he just had this need consuming him.

"What kind of duties?" She didn't want to speak anything more with him but it seemed her mouth was speaking for itself.

He cleared his throat and rubbed a hand on his neck, looking down and showing insecurity, and maybe, shame. She eyed him, studying his reaction, raising an eyebrow and thinking about what kind of awkward job he could make to live that was bringing shame on his face.

"You're a thief!" She answered her own question.

"Robin of Locksley, at your service." He shyly extended a hand for her to shake.

She kept eyeing him, trying to read the man's thoughts and studying his attitudes. He was a really interesting man, but he was an outlaw and she wasn't there for it, she was there to meet her ungrateful soulmate. So she should greet this man, be polite and leave the place and leaving her hopes behind her once more in the process. She imitated his action and extended her own hand for him to shake.

When she glared at his waiting arm, she froze.

 _No! The man with the lion tattoo was a thief! And he was her soulmate!_

She chuckled sarcastically. The situation couldn't have been worst. That damn fairy was messing even more with her already messy life. She shouldn't have agreed with that craziness in the first place. She shouldn't have been there. She shouldn't have met this guy.

"I'm sorry." She apologized before she turned around, running outside the tavern and leaving a confused Robin behind her.

Once out of the tavern, she kept running and running. That couldn't be right; the pixie dust had failed for the very first time. The fairy was a liar! There was no way the man of her life would be a thief!

She finally stopped when she reached the forest, taking a long breath and sitting on a log. The cold weather was touching her face, making her chill, as the branches's trees were dancing according to the wind. Her dress was a mess, due to the dirty and dusty floor of the wood, but she couldn't care less.

She couldn't stop thinking about her damage life. She had been forced into a loveless marriage by her mother to a man three times older than her, her Daniel was dead and her soulmate gained his life by robbing people.

Maybe she had been hasty, running away from him. He could be a good man, despite his "job", but she didn't even give her a chance to know him. Right now, she wouldn't come back to the tavern, she had made her decision and that included to run away from her soulmate and come back to her miserable life.

She was so screwed!

 _What she had done to deserve that?_

She was still a girl with dreams but her dreams were dying little by little every single day. Once, her father told her that a person who doesn't dream, can't have happiness in its life, because the dreams are like a portal to your imagination and make you to have hope, and you can't live a life without hope. She thought of her father's words and a single tear dropped from her eyes; all her dreams couldn't come true. She was starting to stop dreaming and in the process, stopping to have hope.

"You run fast for a Queen!" He stopped right in front of her, breathless, and supported his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

There was a pause, a brief moment where the two were doing nothing but staring one another. She couldn't believe he had followed her, but at the same time, she was relieved he was there. The reason she was feeling like that, she didn't know. His presence warmed her heart in a way she couldn't explain.

"What are you doing here?" She looked at him, narrowing her eyes.

"Honestly? I don't know!" He admitted softly and chuckled.

"May I?" He motioned towards the log.

"I'm not stopping you!" She said, trying to put a little of disdain in her voice, but somehow she could sense the man was a good person. He had come after her, didn't he? Maybe he was forced to step into the life of robbing as she was forced into a loveless marriage. They could have more in common than she knew, maybe she should give him a chance, and talk to him wouldn't kill her, would it?

"As long as you don't try to steal anything from me…" She sensed the need of teasing him and judging by the smirk that appeared on his face, he was enjoying that as well, showing his beautiful and charming dimples to her.

 _Jesus! What the hell are you doing, Regina?_

"Did I scare you?" He asked, seeming really concerned as he sat on the log, beside her.

"Honestly?" She leaned her head and glare at him.

"Yes." She admitted.

"It wasn't my intention. I'm so sorry, milady."

 _Milady?_

For some reason, Regina felt her muscles tensed up. Nobody had ever called her using that term, but she decided she like it. Actually she liked a lot and couldn't control a shy smirk on her face.

"I just didn't want to lie to you." He stated.

Regina looked into his eyes and saw nothing more than honesty there. Despite this man didn't know almost anything about her, only her useless title, he didn't lie to her, he didn't pretend to be somebody he wasn't.

"May I ask you something?" He interrupted her thoughts.

"You can ask me anything, but depending on the question, I wouldn't answer." She said, folding her arms across her chest. He frowned, seemingly surprised for her boldness and audacity, and this time, she smirked.

"I think I'll take my chances…"

"What was a Queen doing in a tavern?" He asked and Regina seemed taken aback by the question and her eyes opened wide, her throat went dry for a moment.

"You wouldn't believe me." She shifted uneasily in front of him.

 _How was she supposed to tell him the truth? I was there because of you, because you are my happy ending…_

"Try me." He challenged her, touching his shoulder playfully against hers.

"I can't…" Regina tensed and took a deep breath, before shrugging.

"It's embarrassing!" For her luck, it was dark there and he couldn't see her red cheeks.

"Alright, I'm not forcing you into anything." He was feeling a desire to have her trustiness, to have her opening herself to him, but he wouldn't force her.

Regina thought hard about his answer. If he knew what kind of things she had been forced into for her entire life…. but she was grateful for his kindness; he really seemed to be an honorable and respected man. Maybe Tinkerbell was right and maybe the man sitting right beside her right now could be her soulmate. At least, she was feeling free and protected with him, she was feeling brave and sensing that nothing could hurt her while he was by her side.

"I was looking for happiness!" She admitted, despite his silence.

"Happiness?" He asked, frowning, and she confirmed.

"Well, milady…. if you find it, please, show me the way." He showed a bit of sadness in his face when he said that and she noticed it.

"Aren't you happy?" She asked, really curious about the man's story.

"No." He muttered it under his breath and stared at his boots.

"If you want to tell me your story, I can assure you I'm a good listener." She encouraged him.

He smiled again at her and she smiled back. They kept eyeing each other's face for a while, trying to memorize their features and discover the signals of struggles and sadness of their lives, until he decided to open himself to her.

"I had to leave my family, my home, my forest, because of an abusive father… Since then I'm here, trying to survive as better as I can." He leaned his head to the left and smiled sadly at her.

"But as you can see, not as good as I thought." He shook his head in defeat and gave a defeated laugh.

"I'm sure you're trying your best." She was understanding every word he was saying to her and instinctively, she let her left hand squeeze his thigh, trying to show some comfort to him.

"Still, I didn't find my way to happiness." He breathed out.

"Why did you leave?" She said and paused for a beat.

"I mean, your home." She concluded.

Before take a long breathe, he started to tell his story to that strange woman. He didn't know why he was trusting his story to her. Since he had run away from his previous life, he had never told anyone about his past, about who he really was, but with her, he was feeling that he could trust his true self.

"My father wanted me to become someone who I didn't want to be. He wanted me to be the King of Sherwood, his successor, but I didn't want to be trapped into a loveless marriage with a woman that I didn't love, just to be a respected and exemplar king that he wanted me to be." Robin sighed, clenched his jaw a little.

He paused for a moment and looked at her. He noticed she was holding tears in her eyes and he was grateful for it. Maybe this woman had a story of suffering in her life just like his.

"I could see the sadness in my mother's eyes. I didn't want to be that man my father was to her to any other woman. I didn't deserve that as any woman didn't deserve that too. I didn't want to be that kind of man!" He whirled around, avoiding Regina's eyes, but she could sense that anger was seeping through him.

"I just…couldn't!" His eyes drifted close.

"So, I ran away!" He concluded and couldn't control a single tear that dropped on his cheek. Regina tilted her head slightly, raising her eyebrows as she regarded him, noticing the man was carrying a heavy burden like hers. However, he had made something she wanted but because of her mother, she couldn't: running away.

"Last week, I heard my mother was found dead!" Said that, a wave of sadness washed over both of them.

Regina's mind was in full speed with all sorts of scenarios going through it. Her head was aching and her heart started speeding fast. She let a hand on her mouth, trying to control a sob from there. She had to be strong for him, he had just lost his mother and she felt a need to comfort this broken man, but she couldn't fall apart in front of him.

"I know it's because of me!" He had left his home and his mother in the process, who was dead now, and he was feeling guilty because of it.

"I'm so sorry…" She said after a moment, breaking the silence that had befallen them, finally founding her voice back.

She was feeling like her heart is about to burst from her chest. She leaned forward, cupping his face with her hands, as she wiped his tears away with her thumbs. He softened at her touch, closing his eyes, letting his head rest on her hands and she smiled, despite the circumstances.

"I'm sure she didn't die because of you. She loved you, right?" She asked and he nodded, still with his eyes closed and resting his face on her palms. She could feel his scratch beard rubbing against the skin of her palms as he was nodding, and felt a suddenly and indescribable happiness because of that simple feeling.

"You know, we have a lot in common." She leaned his face straight to her, making him look directly at her eyes.

"How's that?" He asked.

She took a breath and told him everything. Everything about her mother, about Daniel… until she told him about the king.

"I'm going to kill him!" Robin suddenly stood on his feet, with a furious look.

"No! You can't!" She yelled desperately, standing on her feet as well and grabbing his forearm, noticing that for the first time she was touching the symbol of their connection. She jerked her head up to see Robin standing there, closing his fists tight and snorting.

"He is the most powerful man in the kingdom and you're an outlaw… what is done, it's done! Please…" She begged him, her heart hammering in her chest.

Actually, she didn't know why he was reacting that way, he had met her only hours ago, but she was feeling that he was already caring for her. The only person who had showed that kind of protection and indignation towards her since Daniel. And maybe not even Daniel. But she couldn't let him getting hurt because of her. She didn't know that man well but already feared for his life.

"Robin…" She squeezed his forearm and he looked at her.

"I'm sorry." Instinctively, he wasn't sure what kind of force took him; he pulled her into his chest, cupping the back of her head with his hands and burying his nose in her hair.

She was startled at first, because that man was still a stranger for her, but then relaxed against his warm, protective and, somehow, familiar body.

"It's not your fault." She whispered, hiding her face on the crock of his neck and taking in his smell into her nostrils, closing her eyes and enjoying his closeness.

"You smell like forest." She whispered against his neck.

"Excuse me?" He held her face with both hands and looked at her, pretending to be offended. She smiled joyfully at the look she saw on his face.

He couldn't take his eyes away from her. Watching her was the most fascinating thing he had already done in his life. This beautiful and broken woman was awakening in him feelings he had thought it was impossible to feel.

"I have to go. It's late and I don't want the guards missing my absence." She said and he shook his head, trying to focus in her words.

"Can I follow you?" He blinked his eyes and she nodded.

The hours they had spent together just flew by. Regina had never opened herself like that before, but with him, it has been so easy and normal.

They made their path back to the castle, stealing glances of each other and unintentionally, or not, brushing their hands a few times, until he got the courage and took her hand on his, entwining their fingers together. She couldn't avoid the smile on her blushing face at his act and she could notice the corners of his lips rising too.

"I think I should go alone from this point." She warned him as they came to a point near to the castle.

"Are you going to be alright?" He squeezed her hand, a worried look crossing his face.

There was the fear niggling at him that she might push him away at some point if he kept insisting on touch her. He really had to hold himself back, but somehow, he wasn't able to restrain himself by her side.

He wanted to spend the rest of his life just looking at her, admiring that woman. He wanted to taste her lips on his, to feel his hands on her hair, to feel the warmth of her body against his. He couldn't explain… he just wanted her like he had never wanted anything in his life.

 _What was happening to him?_

"Don't worry, the King is not here and I know a secret passage. The guards won't see me." She assured him and a suddensadness sprouted in her heart. He had to go and maybe she would never see him again.

"Thank you for listening to me." She nodded her head in gratitude and bit her lips nervously. She definitely didn't want him to go.

"My pleasure." He said and she nodded, turning slowly and walking towards her "secret passage".

With each step she was taking, he was feeling his heart hurting more and more into his chest. He couldn't let her go. He had to see her again. He had to save her, take away the sadness from her life, and he was sensing she could save him and make him happy as well.

"Your Majesty!" He suddenly said and ran at her direction, his eyes shining with fear of her reaction.

"Can I see you again?" He took his chances and asked with begging eyes, but seeing the smile on her face, his heart calmed down and he released his breath.

"If you are lucky, maybe I'm going to be at the same place on the forest tomorrow night." She joked, narrowing her eyebrow and thanking the Gods he had come after her again. She was sure that after their time together, she wouldn't be able to forget about him easily.

"Hm… I think I have to check my luck tomorrow." He narrowed his eyes and played along with her.

Smiling and with her heart pounding fast in her chest, she nodded and started to walk away again.

"Regina, I prefer Regina!" She said, over her shoulder, before she enter the darkness of the castle, and could swear she heard him chuckle.

"Good night, Regina." He almost whispered her name, like he was tasting it and trying to memorize the sound of it leaving his mouth.

Hearing him saying her name was like a sweet melody to her ears. Maybe the fairy was right: pixie dust have never failed, anyway.

While the two made their way back home, with a silly smile on their faces that they couldn't control not even for a second, a wicked green shadow was observing every move of them from her mirror on Oz and grinding her teeth of irritation.

*** _**FLASHBACK OFF**_ ***

* * *

Regina had thought several times on how she was supposed to say to Robin about the truth; she had known about their little miracle for 2 weeks now. At first, she had decided to wait until things become less complicated, but then she had decided to tell him as soon as possible, because their situation wouldn't resolve not now and maybe not ever.

She went to the hospital and Dr. Whale warned her about the importance of the prenatal. He said she had to run an ultrasound, to make her sure her baby was fine and growing normally, but she had been hesitant about it. She wanted Robin by her side, squeezing her hand, mumbling sweet nonsenses in her ear as the doctor was dubbing the machine around her yet flat stomach. So she was waiting until she would gain courage enough and tell him the truth.

A lot of times, she went to the camp and stare there, hiding herself behind a tree and watching his interaction with his son and his Merry Men. He had born to be a father, a leader, she knew that, and she was sure he'd love to know about their new baby. If that had happened in another moment, she had no doubt about how they'd be glad right now, celebrating their blessing, this beautiful new life, their daughter. But of course things would never be that easy for them. Right now he was already waiting for a new baby and, worse, a baby with her sister.

 _Their babies would be cousins or brothers? What would they're supposed to tell them?_

 _God!_

Regina felt sick and a familiar dizziness started to take her body. She leaned herself against the three, supporting her forehead on one arm, while she kept another hand rubbing circles on her stomach.

Now Regina was thinking clearly about this mess and maybe she shouldn't tell him or tell anyone. She should leave the town, raise her daughter away from everything, but that wouldn't be fair to him or to her girl. Her daughter deserved to have a father and he deserved to be her father. She would tell him, maybe not right now because she wasn't ready, she needed time to get herself together. She hadn't even the idea about how to start this talk to him "Hey Robin, I'm pregnant! Congratulations! You'll have another new baby!"

 _No!_

She'd tell him but she'd wait for the right moment, or at least, until when she'd know exactly how she would supposed to say it without scaring him even more or putting him in a hardest position than he already was right now. So she had always left without anybody noticing her presence. She was still confused, scared and really conflicted. She was supposed to be barren, for God sakes! And she had no right to throw everything on him. However, she knew she had to tell him the truth, she had to…

"Regina! Hey!" Emma sharply interrupted Regina from her deep thoughts.

"Hm?" Regina shook her head and tried to understand Emma's words.

"Are you alright? You seemed off all night." Emma questioned.

"I'm fine." Regina replied, despite her head was aching and her heart was speeding fast as she remembered about her situation.

"What were you saying?" She tried to sound natural, but she could sense Emma staring at her with suspicious eyes.

"We were talking about Merlin again and a way to find…" Emma began to explain but the former queen cut her.

"I met him." Regina stated.

"What?" Emma asked with a disbelieved look.

"Why didn't you say it before?" Emma questioned.

"I'm saying it right now." She inhales deeply, wondering why she feels the need to explain herself. Of course she should have tell them, but tell that to them, implied tell them why Merlin had met her, and she couldn't tell the truth to anyone.

"How do you know it was him?" Snow interjected.

"It was him, I'm sure." Regina said firmly.

"What did he say?" This time was Arthur questioning her.

"Did he tell you why are we here?" He completed.

"I…" She cleared her throat and tried to say something convincing.

"He's not a problem." She concluded and avoided everybody's eyes.

"That was not what he asked you." Emma said and Regina frowned, seemingly annoyed. She had no desire to discuss this topic and she didn't even knew how to explain it without saying about her daughter.

"As you said before, Merlin is weak." She said towards Arthur.

"Apparently, some force dragged your people here, he included. It wasn't his done."

"What force? The darkness of the dagger?" Snow remarked.

"Probably." Regina lied.

"How do you know he's here in peace? As I well remember, you were the one saying you couldn't trust his intentions!" Emma asked, folding her hands in front of her and kept observing Regina with attention and distrust.

Regina paused for a moment, searching in her mind for the appropriate words. She knew Emma was testing her, trying to make her contradict her words, and she couldn't let that happen.

"I can judge a person for a character, Emma." She threw a serious look at Emma, a " _Leave me alone"_ look like.

"Thanks God! So Merlin is not a problem!" Snow stepped in and Regina couldn't be more grateful for it.

"He is not." Regina ensured, and noticing that Emma wouldn't argue with her anymore, she left out a breath.

"Our only problem now is to find a way to send your people back to your land." Regina said and Arthur nodded.

"And the darkness." Snow remembered her.

"Yes." Regina affirmed.

"Speaking about my people, there's a couple, they're engaged and they had set up their marriage for this week. Do you think it's possible for them to get married here?" Arthur asked and Regina pressed her lips. She wasn't in a mood for a party, but she couldn't deny the right of those people.

"It's sounds amazing!" Snow said with glad and exciting eyes, interrupting Regina's chance to answer.

"Of course." Regina said to Arthur who was still waiting for her confirmation.

"We can arrange the party. It has been a long time this town doesn't have a festival and we can…"

"It's a marriage, not a carnival, Snow!" Regina interrupted her.

"I have to disagree…" Arthur cleared his throat and tried to not contradict Regina, as he continued speaking.

"In our land, marriages have big celebrations." He concluded trying to prevent a smile and Regina rolled her eyes, already knowing her step-daughter excitement.

"See?" Snow widened her eyes enthusiastically.

"We're organizing a big marriage in a "Camelot style" here. It'll be amazing!" She couldn't control her happiness and Regina almost laughed at the sign in front of her.

"Is that alright for you?" Arthur asked in a low tone to Regina.

"Of course." She gave him a sincere smile.

"Alright. I think the meeting is over." Regina said, standing from her seat and the others followed her.

"Wait until you see the costume I have in mind for you, Regina!" Snow threw over her shoulder as she was walking towards the door.

"What?" Regina widened her eyes in confusion as she saw the younger girl smiling at her playfully and leaving the room.

"Would you give me the honor to be your companion on the wedding?" Arthur approached her and made his invitation.

"I…" She said and cleared her throat.

"I don't think it's a good idea." She didn't want to sound rude but there was a lot going on in her life right now.

"Why?" He asked, really concerned.

"Arthur…" She began to explain to him.

"We can't keep going on this, whatever this is. I don't want to hurt you." She wasn't ready for another relationship and she couldn't hurt that man right in front of her.

"I understand." He nodded.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I would be falling for you if things were different. Right now, I can't give my heart to another man because my heart didn't belong to me anymore." She couldn't lie to Arthur, he was a great man and didn't deserve that.

"I know…" He still had a bit of hope about her but deep inside he knew they couldn't be in a relationship, not in a romantic way.

"And maybe I'm not ready too. I gave my heart to Guinevere a long time ago and since then, it's not mine anymore too." He finally assumed his feelings. He was hoping he could fall in love again, but his heart still belonged to his true love.

"I just wanted a chance to be happy and love again." He chuckled sadly.

"You can." Regina took his hands on hers and squeezed, trying to encourage him, despite her own disbelieve in hope right now.

"And you can too. He loves you, you know?" He squeezed her hands back and said the obvious. He wasn't fool or blind; of course he had seen Robin's behavior and his attempts to prove his love for Regina and he really admired that.

"But we can still be friends, right?" He almost begged her because her company made him feel better and forget about his damage life.

"Of course. I'd appreciate it. You're a really good friend." She wanted to keep this friendship with him too. She trusted him and knew he could help her and her baby if they needed some help.

"And Regina, I really care for you…as a good friend." He smiled truly and she smiled back. She needed to do that: clarify about where they'd stand and she was glad he was taking this naturally.

"I know it, thank you." She gladly answered.

"We have a lot in common and it'd be a shame if wouldn't remained as friends." He said playfully, trying to lighten the mood and seeing the smirk on her face, he had accomplished that.

"The baby?" Arthur asked, with an implied concern etched in his voice.

"Oh… she's fine." She led her hand to her stomach and rubbed it softly.

"Good. I hope she's beautiful and brave like her mother…" He paused for a moment.

"And persistent and passionate like her father." He smirked and Regina smiled timidly.

"I hope that too but I'm afraid…" She admitted, but couldn't tell him the whole truth.

"Afraid about what? Is your baby in danger?" He worried.

"Maybe. Merlin told me she'll really be powerful and…" She was afraid to tell anybody about her daughter, maybe it was the best if she kept Merlin's revelations to herself.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything else." She looked down and hoped he'd understand.

"It's fine, but whatever you need, you can count on me. I can assure you I'd anything to protect you and your baby."

"Thank you, Arthur. It means a lot to me." She was really grateful about his reaction towards the awkward, but necessary, conversation.

"My pleasure. Take care of yourself and your baby and don't hesitate to call for my help, if you need it." He squeezed her hands once more and left the room.

Before Regina could sit on her mayor's chair, to fulfill her duties as a mayor, a voice interrupted her actions.

"Ok, now you're gonna tell me truth." Emma entered the room and locked the door behind her.

Regina just rolled her eyes and seemed to not care, seating down on her chair, grabbing some papers and pretending she was reading them.

"What's Merlin really doing here?" Emma seat down in front of her desk and threw a warning look towards her.

"I told you what…" She was saying but Emma interrupted her.

"You said that to the others and I'm sure you were lying. Now, tell me the truth."

"That was the truth!" Regina shouted, a little bit of anger in her tone.

"The hell it was, Regina!" Emma shouted back.

"Did you forget what I had done to live? I can smell a lie for miles away." Emma said and Regina pretended to not care about it.

"I'm sure you know exactly what Merlin is doing here and why he did meet you." Emma stated firmly.

"It's personal." Regina finally answered shortly.

"Personal? So you're admitting you know why!" Emma leaned towards Regina, making the former queen widen her eyes.

"Stop distorting my words, Emma!" She tried to avoid the answer.

"Regina, whatever it is, maybe I can help." Emma assured her.

"I really doubt that!" Regina scoffed.

"You can't do it all by yourself, I know you're capable of, but I can see how tensed you are lately and I know there's something serious going on with you. Right now, there is definitely something important you're not telling me." Emma looked at her with friendly eyes.

Regina paused for a moment, searching in her mind for the appropriate words. Maybe Emma could help, she had magic, she could help to protect her baby, and for her baby she was able to do anything, even tell Emma the whole truth.

She glanced down at her desk and back to Emma a lot of times and finally decided to risk her chances and tell her the truth.

"I'm not lying…" She said with a weak voice.

"Merlin was dragged to here by a strong force." She said and Emma nodded.

"What kind of force? My mom was right? It was because of the darkness?"

"No!" Regina emphasized.

"So what is it?" Emma asked, making Regina stiffen at the question.

"Regina, please…" She insisted.

"You have to promise me to not tell anyone about this. Don't let your mother's genes speak for you." Regina straightened her posture and gave a serious look toward her.

"I promise you." Emma said, an implied concern etched in her voice.

"I'm just telling you because maybe I'll need your help since I can't control my magic like before and I'd anything for..." Regina completed.

"Anyway, Merlin is here to protect his replacement, its magic dragged him here, but he is weak to accomplish his task and then he asked for my help."

"Who is his replacement and why did he come to you?" Emma was confused with Regina's words.

Regina paused for a moment and breathed deep. It was really difficult to admit the truth. The only one who knew about her situation was Arthur, and she just told him in a moment of weakness. Her throat was dry and when she opened her mouth, no words appeared. But she had to protect her girl and Emma had magic and could help her.

"Because I'm her mother…" Regina blurted.

"Her what?" Emma widened her eyes in confusion.

"My daughter… she is his replacement." The former queen admitted but it seemed that Emma wasn't following her, she was with open mouth and widen eyes and for a moment, she just stared at Regina in shock.

"Regina…" Emma shook her head and tried to focus again, but she had no idea what she was supposed to tell with this revelation.

"I don't know what to say." Listening Emma's words, Regina nodded, wordlessly.

An awkward silence hovered in the air, as they remained staring at each other for what appeared to be an entire life.

"How did Robin react about that?" Finally, Emma recovered herself and decided to break the silence.

"He doesn't know yet." She answered, her heart hammering in her chest. She had tried to tell him that the whole truth but she couldn't find the right words or the right way.

"You have to tell him." Emma stated.

"It's not easy like that! I just can't appear on his camp and say I'm pregnant!" Regina's voice was showing her despair and she kept rubbing her hands together and looking at them.

"I completely understand. You two are not together anymore and…" Emma started to say something but suddenly a wave of shock crossed her face.

"Holy shit!" Emma exclaimed in a loud tone.

"What?" Regina seemed taken aback by her new friend reaction and her eyes opened wide.

"You and your sister are having babies with the same man!" Emma pointed the obvious.

"Thank you, Miss Swan. Your words are really reassuring." Regina responded, folding her hands in front of her.

"I haven't thought about my sister and me having baby with Robin." Regina said with bit of sarcastic showing in her voice. She tried her best to snarl out her words but they ended up sounding more vulnerable than she had hoped.

"I'm sorry…" Emma almost whispered.

"Why your baby?" The savior asked.

"Apparently, my daughter has the same kind of magic of Merlin's, she is a product of soulmates, just like him."

"Wow!" Emma exclaimed.

"That's why you can't control your magic anymore?" Emma asked, an implied concern etched in her voice.

"Yes." Regina admitted.

"Somehow, she is performing her magic without even knowing what she's really doing… she has the strongest magic of all!"

"Fuck!" Emma couldn't help, but exclaim again out loud, widening even more her eyes.

"Do you have any useful words to help me or…?" Regina narrowed her eyes, glancing at Emma.

"Sorry, it's too much information." Emma shook her head, trying to assimilate the new information.

"But it's a good thing, isn't it?" After a time, she could speak again and try to comfort her new friend.

"I mean, despite this mess, you're pregnant." Emma tried to put a smile on her face. She could see the hesitation on Regina's eyes but she knew that deep inside, the former Queen has always wanted to have a child, that's why she adopted Henry at the first place.

"Yes, it is." Regina admitted, releasing a breath she didn't remember she was holding, and a shy smile appeared on her face.

 _She was going to be a mother of a special baby girl!_

"You have to tell Robin and Henry. Soon or later, people will know. You can hide it forever." Emma tried to warn her and continue her speaking.

"I mean, you're going to get big, huge, with an expansive belly, eating weird and disgusting foods, you'll change your mood as never before, you're going to get really swollen and…"

"Emma!" Regina interrupted her.

"I'm sorry!" Emma couldn't help but laugh a little, imagining how the mayor would look like carrying a child on her own.

I'm just saying people will notice it." She told as soon as she could control herself.

"Really?" Regina joked, raising an eyebrow.

"Anyway, I'll help you to protect your daughter with my magic. You can count on me, Regina." Emma promised that to Regina.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." Regina said sincerely.

"What about Zelena? I mean, she won't be happy knowing she is about to be the aunt of the year!"

"Do you think she's going to try hurting my baby?" Regina asked, but it was like a rhetorical question, of course she knew Zelena would try to do something against her and her baby.

"I don't know. She can't use her magic but she's been too much quiet… I don't like it!"

"I know… but for now, nobody needs to know." Regina implicitly asked Emma to not to anyone and Emma nodded in confirmation.

"Where's Merlin?" Emma, silent until this moment, asked.

"I have no idea. He talked to me and disappeared before I could help him."

"We have to find him. Now you know his face and maybe he'll contact you again. If he does that, try to convince him to come at us, maybe we can help him." Emma concluded and Regina nodded.

"Anyway, I have to go." Emma stood and made her way to the door.

"Emma!" Before Emma left the room, Regina stood up and exclaimed, making her stop and turn around.

"I'm so sorry." The mayor said, with a weak voice and her head down.

"You're sorry…" Emma frowned and approached her, curious about her actions and mentioned to her continue.

"Sorry about what I did in the past, you had to grow up without your family." Regina began to apologize.

"It's my fault and I know I can't do anything to change that, just admit I was wrong and apologize for my mistakes." She knew she couldn't change the past, but at least, she could say she was sorry.

"At that time, I had no idea about the consequences of my actions, I was a really bad person and I only wanted to hurt your mother…" She was saying about her past and Emma remembered that she saw that for herself, when she came back through time.

"She had to give up on you because of me and now I can imagine how hard it was for her to do that." Instinctively, she led her hand to where her daughter was resting quietly.

"I don't even meet my daughter yet but I already love her with my whole heart and if someone tries to take her away from me or hurt her, I have no idea what I would do!" She gasped just at the thought of Zelena or anyone trying to hurt her little girl.

Meanwhile, Emma remained in silence, paying attention at every single word the former Queen was saying, until she spoke for the first time about that delicate issue.

"You have to apologize with my mom about that."

"I know…" Regina hold tears in her eyes and she knew Snow didn't deserve that suffer she had put into the younger woman's life.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry, if I could change that, I would." Regina emphasized.

"I know." Emma muttered under her breath. Despite everything Regina had done to her family, she just could feel sympathy towards her. Maybe on the beginning she thought about revenge or even put an end on the mayor's life, but the more and more Emma knew her and knew about her damage life, she understood the Queen's frustrations.

"I'm not saying you were right and you didn't hurt my family and me but you're trying to redeem yourself for a time now, that's a big step." Emma continued and silently Regina was thankful for her words.

"You're helping us. Along with other things, you saved my father's life, splitting my mother's heart in two; you sent Henry with me to New York and gave us new memories… and most important, you raised my son, giving him a good life and loving him, while I gave up on him." Emma was been sincere, she had never doubted about Regina's feelings towards Henry; she was sure the mayor was capable to do everything to protect her boy.

"So I guess we are even." Emma smiled and extended her hand for Regina to shake.

"Friends?" She said as Regina was shaking her hand.

"Of course. Thank you." Regina was really grateful for her "new friend" understanding. They nodded at each other and Emma started to walk towards the door.

"And Regina…" Emma turned around before leave the room.

"Congratulations!" She smiled honestly, motioning with her head to Regina's flat stomach.

Regina couldn't help but smile back, because she had finally got the courage to ask for Emma's apologizes. She has avoided the subject for so long but one day she knew she had to face that. Now she was feeling lighter, knowing that she couldn't undo the damage she had caused for Charming's Family on the past, but that didn't mean she couldn't help to build a better future for them.

Regina smirked because at the end of this day she had made two friends, two real friends.

"What are you doing here again?" Rumpel tried to stand to a sitting position with a lot of effort.

"Where are your manners?" Zelena showed a fake indignation in her voice.

"I'm here to see if I have to wear black today…" She sat down on the bed and crossed her legs.

"For your funeral!" She shouted loud and gave a wicked laugh.

"What do you want this time, dear?" He breathed deeply, closing his eyes and trying to get rid of that woman as fast as he could. He couldn't fight against her, he didn't have magic anymore and his body was succumbing with the absence of it.

"It's simple…" She leaned her body even closed to him.

"I need one particular item of your shop." She requested.

"Say it!" The old Dark One asked, but he had the sense he already knew what she was looking for.

"A wand." She said, as if that was the most obvious answer.

"You don't have the charm for a fairy." He tried to be sarcastic.

"I'm glad to see you still keep your sense of humor." She gave him a little pat on the shoulder.

"Where's the Melin's wand?" Suddenly, she changed her face expression into a defiant one.

"I'm sure you have it!" She remarked smugly.

"And what do you have to offer to me if I give you the wand?"

"Your life!" She gritted her teeth.

"I'm already dying, so…"

"Yes, but it doesn't mean you can't suffer even more before your death." She took the pulsing organ from her pocket and showed it to him, making him gasp.

"You know….it didn't have to be this way if you were a good friend!" She was saying and squeezing Belle's heart little by little.

"Stop!" He yelled at her.

"I have it!" He admitted and she put back the heart in her coat's pocket.

"Good. I knew we could get along on it." She smiled sarcastically.

"But before I tell you where it is, you have to give Belle's heart back." He was without his power, he couldn't do anything to protect his love against the witch. He was thinking about telling the others that Zelena was constantly threatening him, but he knew if she figure out he had done that, she'd definitely kill Belle, without any hesitation.

"Don't worry, if you collaborate with me, I don't have any interesting on keeping it for me." She said, disgusting showing on her face.

"You have my word." She promised and widened her eyes, seeing the distrust on his features.

"I can see you're trying to become the new Dark One, as you have always wanted." He had always distrusted her intention since the beginning but he also knew about a very old prophecy, maybe the only way to stop her, if she really became the new _him._

"But dear, conjuring the darkness it's not an easy task! Merlin is the only one who knows how! " He said, not knowing Zelena had already thought about everything.

"Oh, I have Merlin and he'll teach me." She confessed and he widened his eyes.

"And of course I know I can conjure the darkness since I'm a bad person, can you believe that?" She faked to be offended about that.

"You see? I don't lose!" She completed, with a victorious look on her face.

"Maybe… but there's still the prophecy!" He remembered her, playing his last cards.

"Oh, about that… there's no prophecy anymore!" She raised her finger, making him pay even more attention to her next revelations.

"My sister is barren; she can't have children with her soulmate…" She stood up, with her chin up and a devilish grin on her face.

"I bet you didn't know that, did you?" She turned around and saw him in shock.

"That idiot!" She mocked.

"She did that to herself by drinking an unfertile potion. So, unless there's another child of soulmate around, which I really doubt, nobody would be able to stop the Dark One!" She scoffed.

"Am I right?" She blinked her eyes towards him and Rumpel stiffened.

"It's impossible! A prophecy is a prophecy! It has to happen!" He said, totally annoyed and scared. Zelena took him by surprise saying that things to him. If he knew in the past that this could happen, he'd never had helped her, but at that time, he was still the Dark One and he needed Regina to cast the curse, so he did it. If only he knew…

"This time, I can assure you're wrong!" The defiant timbre of her voice echoed throughout the room.

"You know for invoke the darkness, you'd have to use a lot of power." Rumpel tried to warn her.

"I'm aware about that but I have my magic back, thanks to you, and I'll have the wand in my possession. And of course, I'll force Merlin to put my name on the dagger, using his wand."

"Don't worry, everything is planned!" She mocked him.

"You're pregnant." He pointed a finger to her, knowing about the darkness rules.

"Do you want to be the baby's Godfather?" If anything, she appears to revel in a sick pleasure from it.

"This is the darkest kind of magic! If you conjured the darkness using the wand, you could lose your child." He emphasized.

"Oh, stop babbling! I know about that but nothing is stopping my plans!' She reiterated.

"Stop pretending you care because I'm sure you're only afraid about it. Now, you are the old and coward Rumpel again."

"I shouldn't ever have helped you!" He shook his head incredulously.

"Oh, dear…" She said, mimicking his own words, standing up and taking two small strides towards him, her hand reaching out and grasping his chin.

"But you did!" She seemed to be amused by the fear on Rumple's face, judging by the smirk that jabbed over her lips.

* * *

*** _**FLASHBACK ON *****_

 _Enchanted Forest, many years ago…_

Rumpel was working on his loom when he felt a wave of magic invading his castle. He didn't even have to look around to know who was paying a visit to him, and not a lovely or wanted one.

"Did you miss me?" Came a known voice behind him.

"I can't tell I did, dear." He kept his work, not paying attention on the visitor.

"I need something from you." She said, with a clear and anxious sensation washing over her.

"Everybody does!" He said sarcastically.

"I want a forgetting potion. The strongest one you have!" She demanded, with a strong tone in her voice.

"Every magic comes with a price!" He stood up and pointed a finger at her.

"Yeah, yeah! Cut the crap! I don't have time!" She scoffed and shook her head.

"Why the rush, dear?" He was teasing her, enjoying the irritation she was carrying on her face.

"I need it…"She was getting impatient.

"And I needed it now!" She yelled, gritting her teeth.

"It's not that simple…" He said and paused for a moment.

"And who do you think you are…" He started to approach her.

"Coming to my castle, pointing a finger at me and speaking in that way?" Rumpel gripped her neck tightly using his magic.

"Be careful, dear!" He advised her as she was struggling to escape his grip, but he was firm and she felt like he efforts didn't help at all as he squeezed her neck tighter.

"Regina met her soulmate!" She managed to say that between the efforts to breathe properly.

"What?" There was a pause, a brief moment where the two we were doing nothing but staring one another down, until Zelena groaned.

"Her soulmate…" She continues, roughly pushing at her head as he let go of her, turning away and going to sit on his chair again.

"She found him!" She completed, now released from his grip and rubbing her hands on her neck.

"If you were not so smitten by your love bird, you'd know it!" She was still rubbing her hands around her neck as she shouted.

"I'm warning you for a second time! Don't tease me!" He made an attempt to stand up again but she was still trying to catch her breath.

"Fine!" She gave up, also because she needed his knowledge.

"Why should I be worried about that?" He questioned her, with his usual disdain and narrowing his eyebrow.

"Well, since you had chosen _her_ instead of _me_ to cast your curse, you should!" Zelena pointed that out.

"If that thief and her fall in love, I don't think she'd cast your curse!" She continued, trying to get his help.

"And I can tell, judging by the look I had seen on their faces, they are already in love!" She teased him.

"Why do you care about my curse?" He said, shrugging.

"I don't!" She scoffed.

"I just care about my sister's unhappiness!" She admitted.

"There's a prophecy, the one that says a product of soulmates could defeat the Dark One!" She was still trying to convince him to help her, and she knew that prophecy was strong enough to defeat him, so she was playing her cards.

"I'm aware about that prophecy." He sounded more serious this time.

"Still, I'm the Dark One, so _I_ should be the one worrying about that, not _you_!" He pointed a finger at himself as he talked.

"For now… Who knows if one day I became the Dark One?" She teased him.

"I really doubt it!" He teased back.

"Anyway… If Regina and her soulmate carry on with their disgusting display of love, soon or later, they'd make a baby…" She said and made a little pause, approaching the imp, as she continued.

"Your opponent!" Her eyes narrowed and her voice was deep.

"Do you really want that happening?" She argued and Rumpel, silent until this moment, grumbled.

"How do you know they're soulmates?" He asked, an implied concern etched in his voice.

"That damn fairy used pixie dust to find him, and you know that pixie dust…" She started to explain but he cut her conclusion.

"Never lies." Rumpel completed, looking down and lost in his on thoughts, really worried about the situation. How did he miss that happening? He should have been more careful and vigilant.

"So, are you helping me now or what? This is your business too, as you can see!" Zelena was impatient and she needed his final decision.

"I'm helping you but I don't have the ingredients to make a forgetting potion right now." He finally accepted and she couldn't contain a victorious smile on her face.

"I can arrange that." The witch stated.

"Or… You and me could just kill him!" This option crossed her mind but she didn't know what could make her sister suffer most: her soulmate's death or living without her real memories.

"That's not an option." He scoffed and shook his head.

"Are you becoming soft, Rumpel?" Zelena barely heard the reprimand and smiled sarcastically.

"I may need him on the future." He said, giving his back to her and she frowned, thinking about the real reason he was sparing the thief's life.

"The old and selfish Rumpelstiltskin! Why am I not surprised?" She derided, as she concluded he wasn't killing Robin because of his own egotistic reasons.

"Anyway, you're not killing him!" He didn't have to threaten her, judging by the tone of his voice, she could understand the message.

"What about the author? You know he's writing our stories, right?" He remembered her about this fact.

"It's not a problem! If you make the potion, I'll use it on him too. Of course, I'm doing that after he rewrites Regina's story with the thief. Then, he'd not remember he wrote the original one." Apparently Zelena already had everything planned.

"Clever!" Rumple gave his characteristic laugh and blinked at her. He knew she had a great potential, she could use her abilities and her brain cleverly.

"How are you convincing him to rewrite her story?" He really wanted to know if she had everything scheduled and if it'd work correctly.

"He's a disgusting drunk and I'll offer to him what everybody wants: a happy ending! But of course, after he drinks the potion, he'd not even remember me." She concluded her plan, telling him about every detail.

"I can make that potion, but a curse can be broken with a true love's kiss!" He pointed that out.

"Then make a strong one!" She complained.

"The ingredients are very rare."

"I don't care, name them and I'll get them!" She shrugged nonchalantly, decided to put the plan on motion, no matter the costs.

"You're persistent." The imp motioned his finger towards her.

"However, even it's really difficult to break this curse, it's not impossible!" He was pacing back and forth, trying to calculate their next move. Despite his issues with Zelena, he knew, because of her senseless jealousy about her sister, she could be useful for him. She had come at him, didn't she? So he'd use her and use her angry to assure he'd continue to be the Dark One.

"How's that?" She was curious and concerned about the curse to not be permanent.

"If one day they met and fall in love again, and they are able to conceive a baby, when the baby is born, the curse is broken. In other words: we're trying to change faith, but if their faith finds a way to the original path, they'd remember everything." He explained.

"Then, I'll make sure their path doesn't cross again, and if it crossed, I'll find a way to ruin it!"

"Alright. I'm giving you the list with the necessary ingredients." He smiled wickedly and made his way to his library, motioning for her to follow him.

*** _**FLASHBACK OFF *****_

* * *

Regina was looking herself in the mirror, enjoying the image she was seeing on it. She used to wear that kind of dress a long time ago, the time when she was still a dreaming girl and her life was less complicated, at least at the time, she didn't have the discernment for judging her mother's doings.

The dress was of light pink color and sleeveless, with some discreet and delicate ornaments and an expensive cleavage, accentuating her swollen breasts. It was beautiful, she had to admit it, and she was really surprised for Snow's good taste, but she'd never say that to her. She pinned her fringe in a coke as her now longer locks were loose and curled, touching her shoulders.

She turned to the side and let one hand rub her still flat stomach, wondering how she'd look like when her belly started to show. She smiled brightly. She was sure she was around two months now, judging by her period and the memories of the first month Robin had returned to Storybrooke. Of course only an ultrasound would confirm that correctly but she would wait a little more until run themedical procedure. She wasn't hesitant about her body's changes, quite the opposite; she couldn't wait to see the physicals signs of her pregnancy. Then she remembered her daughter may be in danger and at least until now, only few people knew about her pregnancy, but when she started to show it up, there was no way on hiding it anymore.

"Mom?" Henry entered the master room, looking at her with suspicious eyes. She immediately led her hands fall to her sides.

"Hey! You look handsome." She approached him and cupped his cheeks.

"And you look stunning." He observed.

 _Stunning in every way._

She sighed deeply, as she remembered those words.

"What's wrong?" Henry questioned her.

"Nothing." She lied and tried to put a smile on her face.

"Are you ready to the party?" She tried to change the subject but he sat on her bed and kept staring at her.

"What?" She inquired.

"You look different." He stated.

"Different how? I'm exactly the same person, there's nothing different. Come on, Henry. You were excited about that party, remember?" She smiled at him and was making her way to the door.

"You're pregnant!" His words made her stop dead on her tracks.

"What?" She turned around and faced him; with widen eyes and a shock face.

"I'm not a child anymore, mom. I can see things!"

"Things?" She was still in shock.

 _How the hell does he know?_

"Your mood, your attitudes, your secret and frequent visits to the doctor, your different preferences for foods, you're vomiting a lot… should I continue?" He narrowed an eyebrow as he finished his question.

 _Gods, help me!_

She thought to herself. She was feeling like a student being questioned by her teacher about an undone homework, and she got caught lying about it.

"Henry…" After a moment of silence was everything she managed to speak.

"No, mom. Tell me truth, please!" He shook his head and led a hand in front of him, in a signal to prevent her to keep hiding this important subject from him.

He was noticing her behavior for a while now, but he was waiting for her to tell him. Well, since he knew it'd not be an easy task for her, he had to ask. He didn't want to pressure her, but he needed to know the true to help her.

"Yes!" She waved her hand through the air.

"I'm pregnant." She finally admitted with a low tone, but he heard her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He couldn't say he was surprise because he was not. He just wanted her confirmation.

"I'm sorry… sometimes I think you're still my little boy and things are really complicated for me right now and…" Before she could finished, he stood up and embraced her in an warm hug, surprising her.

"I'm so happy for you, mom." He breathed these words in her neck, still holding her tight.

"Are you?" She gave a step back and held him by the shoulders, looking directly at his eyes.

"Of course I am. Why shouldn't I be?" He smiled honestly.

"I don't know!" She shook her head and let out a laugh.

"The question is: Are _you_ happy?" Her not anymore little boy questioned her.

"I am…" She held tears in her eyes as she spoke.

"What's that?" He saw the apprehension she carried on her face and he knew there was something else, despite her situation with Robin.

"The baby… she's powerful! Powerful as no one and maybe she's the only one able to defeat the Dark One!" Regina decided to tell him the whole truth. He was her son, she loved him and knew, at this point, she couldn't omit anything from him.

"Wow!" He exclaimed.

"Her?" Suddenly she was taken aback by his question and the proud smile on his face.

"Yes. I'm sure it's a girl."

"Cool!" He didn't hide his enthusiasm.

"Can I feel her?" He asked for permission to touch her stomach.

"Of course you can, but she's not moving yet." She caught his hands on hers and put on her stomach, feeling immediately warm as his thumbs started to trace patterns on her skin.

"Amazing!" Even not feeling his sister's movements, he was excited to share this special moment with his mother.

"Does Robin know?" He asked, as he took his hands away from Regina's stomach.

"No." She admitted sadly.

"I understand." Henry could image how hard it was for his mother to tell Robin about that and he respect her decision to keep the secret with her for now.

"It's not easy, Henry." She looked down, thinking about the thousands time she had tried to tell Robin the truth.

"I know. But I'll be by your side, mom. Whatever you decide, you can count on me."

"Thank you, Henry. I just think we should keep this little secret to ourselves for now, especially because I'm afraid she's in dangerous." She was really concerned about the Merlin's words.

"Alright." He nodded, knowing the seriousness this situation was dragging them into.

"I trust you and I know you'll do your best." He was already a grown boy and he understood her fears.

"I love you, Henry." She kissed his cheeks and hugged him again.

"I love you, mom…" He hugged her back.

"And I love my sister." He said and Regina couldn't restrain the tears in her eyes anymore, so she let them fall freely.

"Can I have the honor to be your companion at the party?" He armed his eyes as a real gentleman to her. She wiped her tears from her face and made a reverence, as she was used to do when she was young.

"Of course, sir." She said, with a funny tone.

"Do you give me this honor, little princess?" He spoke directly to her stomach and Regina couldn't be happier as she saw the love of her life showing his feeling towards her little and already loved miracle.

"I think she does." She put her arms on his and, together, they made their way out of the room.

"She better!" He warned her sister, pointing a finger at where she was still growing.

"I think I'll be a really boring and protective big brother because I'm sure she'll be the most beautiful one!" He said proudly, as they left the room, making Regina laugh hard and squeeze the arm of her little prince… well, not so little anymore.

* * *

The Storybrooke main street was beautiful and she kept in mind to compliment Snow for that too. She still had to talk to her, in the way she had talked to Emma and she'd do it, she promised that to herself. Maybe just an excuse wouldn't change anything, she was aware about that, but she still owned a lot of apologies to her step daughter.

"Regina, you look beautiful!" Thinking of Snow, she made her appearance and Regina smiled at the sincerity on her face.

"Thanks to you, Snow. I have to admit that I'm surprised! Nice work." She admitted, looking to her dress.

 _It was not a difficult thing to do, was it?_

"Thank you." She smiled proudly of herself and Regina's heart warmed. If she could unmake everything she had done to this woman, she would, because now she knew Snow never deserved it. But right now, it was a time to celebration, not to touch in delicate issues.

"You can sit with us." Snow motioned towards the Charming's table, which was occupied with Snow's family, Hook – who already was a part of family – and Arthur. She had never thought she'd be welcome to their table, their life, but she was happy that now, she could enjoy their company and especially, because they trust her, despite her past.

"Of course." She answered and Henry leaded the way towards the table.

"You look beautiful, Regina." Arthur said as she sat on the chair.

"I'm feeling like a teenager, to be fair." She chuckled and he smiled back.

She straightened on the chair and immediately started to look around. It had been two weeks since she hadn't properly spoke with _him._ She had seen him, as she hided herself a few times on the forest, trying to approach him and tell him the truth.

As usual, he was keeping some distance, maybe because the incident in her house when he went there and found Arthur was there with her. However, she knew the real reason: their kiss. After their broke up, they didn't have had that kind of affection towards each other, but at that moment, after he sang that music to her and went after her, she couldn't control her actions anymore, so she kissed him and kissed him as never before.

Now, she had to see him… just see him. But where was he? She was becoming desperate, she _needed_ to see him and relieve the pain in her chest.

"Do you honor me a dance?" Arthur stood up, dragging her from deep thoughts and waved a hand towards her, as an invitation.

"Come on, mom!" Henry interfered, noticing the desperation on his mother's face, and maybe as if an attempt to make her feel better.

"My honor." She stood up as well, forced a smile at him, and they approached the dance floor, trying to catch their pace.

What she didn't know was that a bored and jealous thief was following all her movements, not even attempting to hide his frustrations.

* * *

 **** FLASHBACK ON ****

 _Missing Year…_

The first image he saw when he entered into the ballroom was a glimpse of the Queen. She was stunning, he had to admitted that, despite her apprehension towards him. In fact, he didn't know why she hated him so much. Maybe it was because he was always pushing her buttons or taking her away from the limits. He was doing that on purpose, of course, but he didn't know why he was doing such a thing. Little John had warned him that despites her changes, she was still the Evil Queen and could change him into crisps, but he didn't care. He was enjoying to see her furious with him, actually he thought she was kind of cute in these moments.

 _Wait? Cute?_

Robin shook his head, trying to compose himself. He couldn't think she was cute. That was unacceptable. He couldn't think that about this infuriating queen. Fast, he tried to glance at the people around him, avoiding looking at her figure. But she was so beautiful in that dress…

 _Wake up, Robin!_

He approached some of his men and tried to catch up with them but why he couldn't even listen to them? He didn't like her hair up like that, it was fine but he preferred if they were falling freely to her back and shoulders.

 _Did he already have seen her with loose hair?_

He definitely wanted to see that. Her raven locks scattered on the pillow as he was making love with her senseless and…

 _Shit!_

Robin didn't know what was happening to him. She was drawing his attention and thoughts on a way he thought it were not possible. That woman was driving him crazy!

"Why are you staring at me?" Suddenly, a female voice, _her voice,_ came to his ears.

 _Oh no!_

It was her; she was right in front of him, staring at him with a furious and questionable look.

 _God! She was pretty! So damn pretty…_

He could only opened his mouth and look at her beauty, without words. Somehow she made him nervous and shy but of course it was only his assumptions. That woman definitively couldn't affect him in any way.

"Don't you have anything better to do than that?" She waved her hands nervously and something else came out from her mouth again but he couldn't understand what she was talking about. Her figure was distracting him a lot lately and especially now that he could smell her sweet perfume. He looked at her mouth, then at her inviting and beautiful cleavage and at the tempting path until the curves of her breasts, which was covered by that damn corset.

"I'm sorry?" He couldn't distract himself anymore by looking at her perfect body because she was narrowing her brows at him and waiting for an answer.

 _What did she have to ask him anyway?_

"Don't do that anymore." She did shoot at him, pointing a finger right to his chest.

She didn't touch him, but still, he could feel the warmth of her body mixing with his and that was the most enjoyable feeling he ever had experimented in his life. Instinctively, he took her finger and let to his mouth, kissing it.

 _Robin, what the hell are you doing?_

She stepped back immediately, widening her eyes, as she had been burnt.

He didn't know what to say to her. An awkward silence befallen them and he knew he had to say or do something but his actions had betrayed him. He had to improve. He had to be sarcastic and turn her attention at another direction.

"I was not staring at you. Don't be so convinced." He said after gulped hard, thinking that maybe a bit of sassiness could win their internal battle.

"Your gaze was saying quite the opposite." She said and narrowed her left brow and approached him more, and her mouth almost touched his cheek.

 _Damnit! She wouldn't give up! Was she trying to drive him crazy?_

If that was her intention, mission accomplished! His trousers couldn't carry the bulk of his erection and if she dared to touch him, this could be his end. However, he knew what she was doing, she was trying to seduce him and then let him miserable after that, and he wouldn't let her take that. Since their first day in the Enchanted Forest, that damn woman was chasing his dreams and thoughts but he wouldn't give her that satisfaction. He was dying to get to know more of her, to be honest, but he'd never show her that.

"There are a lot of beautiful women here." He insinuated to her, pretending to look around the ballroom.

"Point taken." She looked around and took a sign of the people there but kept her closeness, not stepping back even a little.

"Still, you're staring at me and I don't like that." She smirked at him and bit her lower lips.

 _Jesus Christ! His erection was about to burst above his pants!_

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down his nerves and erection and trying to think about something else but her. He tried to smirk back at her and he didn't know if he had successful on that but he had to carry on with her game.

"Why would I stare at you?" The conscious part of his brain spoke to him.

"That's my question." She smiled at him. The allusive smile that could break him apart and for a moment, he let himself to follow her gaze. Tension was growing faster inside him.

 _Oh no!_

She was definitely playing with him but he couldn't allow such a thing.

"You're infuriating!" He shot at her and she scoffed.

"You didn't answer my question, thief." She tilted her head in a flirtations manner, and said in her most alluring voice.

"You know what? Fine, maybe… just maybe, I was staring at you but not because I'm interested on you." He blatantly lied to her, contradicting his pounding heart and the reaction of his body towards her.

"Good for you because I'd never have any kind of interest on you either." She lied back because she couldn't allow herself to be so attracted at this annoying outlaw.

"Why not?" He said, with a bit of indignation on his face.

"You can't be serious!" Regina's eyes narrowed but she really was enjoying that.

"Oh, but I am." He said with his gorgeous and dimpled smile.

 _Shit, Regina! Don't be weak right now!_

"Why are you doing this?" She tried her best to snarl out her words but they ended up sounding more vulnerable than she had hoped.

"You're despicable!" She said that as she saw that his smirk didn't fade away.

"Maybe because I enjoy rattling your bones." He extended his hand, inviting her and she blinked at his action.

"Would you honor me with a dance?" He leaned himself as a compliment because he was dying to feel her close to him. Maybe he could call himself as a loser but who'd care about his proud right now?

"Excuse me?" She widened her eyes in shock.

"Can you dance?" He reiterated in a firm tone, looking right into her eyes and trying to reach her hand.

"No!" She withdrew the palm of her hand which was almost touching his.

"No, you don't you want to dance? Or no, you can't dance?" She said and her heart was in her throat.

 _Don't do it, Regina!_

"Of course I can dance, I'm the Queen!" Despites her confusion, she could be sassy. She would never let that thief climb her walls.

"Then prove it to me!" Robin challenged her.

"I don't have to prove anything to you." She muttered.

"So, you're scared…" He replied, defiantly.

"I am not!" She pointed that out and her body came closer to his, making him to take a deep breathe.

She could feel the hardening of him underneath, making her pulse quicken. She had to stay as far away as she could from him. This man was dangerous!

"Alright! But you own me a dance." He kissed her right cheek and she froze instantly. The feeling of his warm lips against her skin made her wondering dirt and wrong things. She couldn't allow herself of that… she only had to find a way back to Henry and this thief was taking her away to the main goal.

"I don't own you anything!" She barked out.

"Of course you do!" He was teasing her as much as he could.

"Stay away from me or else I…" She teased him, eyes suspicious.

"You'd do what?" He almost whispered these words in her mouth. She knew he was challenging her again and she couldn't surrender herself but suddenly he grabbed her by the waist, bringing her body to his.

"I could kill you with a blink of my eyes." She said and put her hands on his chest.

"So, do it!" He fisted his fingers into her hair and was bringing her even closer to him. They stood closer, mouth to mouth, breathing the air of each other's mouth for a moment.

Regina didn't know what possessed her but she couldn't - and didn't want to, to be honest - let him free her. She wanted to feel his body pressed on hers, his tongue working in a wonderful way against her body and pleasure her as she had never been before.

 _No!_

That infuriating man was smirking at her, teasing her in a way that no other man had done before. She couldn't let him win her. But before she stepped back, she touched his evident arousal with her own body, making him groan in frustration.

" _This_ is never going to happen!" She remarked, saying these words close to his ear, and of course, making his whole and needing body shiver. She smirked, thinking she had won their internal battle but she didn't know what he had in mind next.

"You want me as much as I want you!" He looked deeply into her eyes and she became speechless. All her sassy comments were stuck in her throat and the wetness between her thighs was getting unbearable. She had to get away from him and she had to do it now!

"I hate you!" She said, reeling her hand out of his grip, once for all.

"Right back at you, Your Majesty!" He smirked proudly, as if he was winning a battle, and in fact, he was, at least this time. Regina looked over her shoulder, no mattering if other people was watching her, and seeing his proud face, she groaned, and she swear to herself that one day, she'd take that off.

 **** FLASHBACK OFF ****

* * *

Regina was sitting again after only one dance with Arthur. Her body wasn't the same anymore, her pregnancy was making her feel always tired. She was observing people dancing around and a few Camelot people in ecstasy, since they seemed to find Arthur's sword ingrown in some place at the forest. Arthur was thrilled about that and immediately went to the place to take his precious item. She was glad for him.

"You still own me that dance." A voice came behind her with a polite curtsey. Hearing _that_ voice, made Regina's whole body shiver in anticipation.

"Excuse me?" She inquired, turning around to face the person and knowing exactly what he was talking about.

She couldn't control a radiant smile spreading on her face as she saw him and remembered their talk on her castle. He was gorgeous as always, maybe even more with that costumers. She should decline his invitation, it was the best thing to do, but she was tired of fighting. So she extended her arms and reached his already waiting hands.

She was beautiful. Robin had always admired her beauty but tonight she was breathtaking, glowing, perfect, stunning in every way.

Neither of them dared to speak one word as they reached for the dance floor. They didn't need it. Their feelings and the electricity emanating from the join of their bodies could speak for themselves.

They stood up in the middle of the dance floor. His hand holding her by the waist and caressing the satin of her ball gown, enjoying the feel of it beneath his fingertips. He moved his other and held her own hand. He couldn't help but notice the contrast in their skin tones as his larger hands held her smaller, more delicate hands.

Slowly they began to dance, nowhere in sync with the music. This dance tonight was merely a physical play out of the symbolic dance they had been engaging in all along.

They were standing quite close, after he pulled her up, her chest just inches from his, their noses almost brushing. He could feel her breath on his lips and her characteristic and infamous smell.

Robin twirled her, spinning her around. Regina's lips lifted, ever so slightly and he spun her again and again. She finally left out a contagious laugh, making his heart constrict and his stomach leap. He let her twirl him as well, something which activated more giggles from her part, and a smile from his lips too.

He twisted her behind him and she leaned in, winking, her lips quirking up. He pulled her to him again after that, clasping her hand tightly, his other hand moving to her waist. His gaze grew intense and she stared at him back, brown eyes wide, realizing their faces were only inches apart.

"I miss you." He admitted, softly and really close to her ear.

 _I miss you too._

She wanted to say it but the words were stuck in her throat and her cheeks actually colored at his words. His eyes were intense as they watched her, amused at her blushing.

 _Why was she embarrassed?_

They stood there, staring at each other, seeming to forget their purpose was to dance.

Regina sucked in her breath when he bent his head down; touching her cheek lightly, beard tickling along her jaw. Her stomach was doing summersaults at the contact, and this time, she was sure it was not her daughter…. _their_ daughter.

Her skin was supersensitive to the touch and it felt so wonderfully good.

They rested their foreheads together, just enjoying their close proximity, matching silly grins plastered across their faces. Their brief physical closeness seemed to bring them emotionally closer for the moment as well. His arm was still around her and his other hand was still joined with hers.

Their eyes were closed, enjoying the moment as long as they could. They missed that, being together, exchanging their warmth.

 _Tell him the truth, Regina!_

Maybe this was the perfect moment. She knew she had to say to him, she was still conflicted but it was necessary. She couldn't hide it away from him anymore, he deserved to know the truth.

"Robin…" She looked into his eyes and finally started to say something she had managed to say a lot of times before.

"There's something I need to tell you…" She was about to explain to him when suddenly something cut her words.

"The darkness!" A desperate voice came, making them jump and everybody rapidly turned their attention and saw that inconvenient dwarf running at them.

"The darkness! It's coming again!" He screamed, making everybody panic.

People started to run around, looking for a shelter, Emma was trying to calm down the Camelot's residents, but she wasn't having lucky at that, while David was trying to command a plan and lead the people at Grannys. The chaos was settled between them, as Regina stood still, in the middle of the dance floor, staring at nowhere.

"Come on, Regina. We have to find a safe place." Robin was desperate, but he was trying to not show it.

"Regina." He held her by the shoulders, in an attempt to bring her back to reality.

"Henry…" She whispered.

"I'm sure he's fine." Robin turned around, looking for any sign of the boy but didn't see him. However, he was near the Charming's family the last time Robin had seen him, so he deduced David had took care of him. Immediately his heart ached because of his son, he had left the boy at the camp, sleeping, but he was sure his friends would do anything to protect his boy as well. Right now, the only thing he could do was trying to protect Regina.

"Let's go." Robin almost begged and trailed her across the street, trying to head them at Granny's.

The cold winter hit their faces as a knife. He held her hand tight as they walked fast. He could notice Emma and David were still trying to accommodate and calm down the people's nerves.

"Robin!" Emma yelled at him and he looked at her, seeing the desperate look on her face and her finger pointing at something behind them, on the sky, and running at their direction. When he looked up over his shoulders, his knees became weak, his breath was caught, his heart stopped.

"Robin…" It was the only thing Regina could say before being dragged through the air by the powerful and dark magic, throwing Robin away on the ground.

"NO!" He screamed as the image in front of him.

Regina was struggling against the darkness with all her forces but it seemed she couldn't get free from it. Robin and Emma tried to approach her, but the strong shield of magic threw them way again.

Regina was desperate, that couldn't be happening, not right now. Of course she was afraid for her life; she'd lying if she said she was not, but her only concern right now was her daughter. Her heart was beating fast as never before, her whole body was shaking, and tears were dropping from her eyes freely and non-stopping.

 _No, please! No!_

She was praying, begging, screaming at any God to help her little girl right now. She fought with all her last strength and let her hand to her stomach, rubbing softly and trying to feel her little girl, even if it was for the last time.

 _I'm sorry…_

 _I love you…_

Suddenly, a blue blast of magic started to emerge from her whole body, making Regina tremble and gasp. She just closed her eyes, feeling the power that she was sure from where was emerging, and especially, from who. She hadn't learned how to deal with its powers but she remembered Merlin's words saying that only her was able to control. Now she understood: she didn't have to control it, it was stronger than her, she had to let it control her, and she had to trust in her daughter. So she did, and let the magic explode freely and without fear from her body.

The light was becoming stronger, blinding everybody around, and forcing them to protect their eyes with their forearms.

After a moment, the strong light started to dissipate and they were able to see through it.

"Regina!" Robin screamed her name desperately and he ran as fast as he could towards her. His heart was beating fast and his breath was caught in his throat.

He kneeled on the ground and tried to turn her head around carefully to his lap because he didn't know how badly she was injured.

"Robin!" She widened her eyes and whispered with difficult, as soon as he put her head on his lap.

He touched every inch of her body, trying to see if she had any injury as she tried to open her mouth to say something to him.

"Save her… Please!" She managed to say between her sobs and cries of pain.

His eyes widened as a sense of devaju invaded his mind. He had been through it before, but at that time he was just having a bad dream or in an alternative universe. Right now, the woman he loved was in pain and he couldn't see what was wrong with her. He was desperate. He didn't know what to do.

"Is she hurt?" Emma kneeled on the ground as well and started to look at Regina carefully.

"I don't know!" The panic seeped back into him. His mind was in full speed with all sorts of scenarios going through it.

"She's in pain!" The urge to cry and let the desperation take him over was tremendous but he had to stand strong for her.

"I'm calling the ambulance. We don't know what's wrong, so it's better if we don't move her." Emma lied. Despite the attempt of the darkness to invade Regina's body, she knew exactly why Regina was so concerned and why the new kind of magic had appeared from her. Maybe if they move her or did any wrong movement, she could lose her child.

"You're going to be alright!" He tried to say despite his desperate.

No matter if they were together or not, he'd always love her. She was a part of him and if he lost her, he would lose himself. He cared her face softly, in an attempt to calm her. He traced patterns with his thumbs on her whole body, to bring her comfort and assurance, but suddenly, he stopped, felling as if a knife was had been tucked into his chest. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move as he saw a bloodstain start to emerge from her skirt dress.

"Emma!" Robin screamed at her, who was already on her cell phone.

"There's blood!" Robin managed to say this between the tears that kept running down his eyes and wetting Regina's face.

The last thing Regina could register was the image of the man in panic, the man she loved, the father of her daughter, before everything went dark.

* * *

 **So, what do you think? Sorry for always end the chapters that way, but I can't control myself! Hehehehe**

 **Let me know your thoughts!**

 **See you soon!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi, girls?**

 **Did you miss me? I hope so!**

 **I'm not going to apologize for the lack of updates because this is** **inexcusable. I could point a lot of reasons: I'm working too hard, my notebook was down for a long time and I didn't have money to fix it (hehehehe, it's true!) , the lack of inspiration….anyway any excuse wouldn't be enough so I'm just saying I'm sorry and I hope you understand.**

 **I don't know if you'll enjoy this chapter because something really bad is about to happen. But trust me, it's necessary. I want to show that Robin loves Regina and prove his love above anything (and he will), despite the circumstances.**

 **The original chapter had over 20k words so I decided to split in two. So, this chapter is shorter but the next one is already with my beta and has almost 17k of words and I'll update really soon (this time I promise you).**

 **So, enjoy as much as you can and don't judge the story before you know the whole plot I have planned since the beginning.**

 **Love you all and appreciate your patience. Thank you very much.**

 **Thank you so much, Gabi. 3**

 **And thank you "Iludidas OQ forever." I love you, girls. (;**

 **P.S.: I'm not giving up on this story, no matter what! OQ deserves to talk, deserves screen time, development, pov… Despite I'm not watching anymore since epi 4x23, I saw spoilers and OQ fandom getting upset day by day. OQ deserves better and I want to do it, at least this story will be what I wanted to see on the show.**

* * *

 _ **Previously on Fight For Me…**_

" _Emma!" Robin screamed at the blonde, who was already on her cell phone._

" _There's blood!"_ _Robin managed to say this between the tears that kept running down his eyes and wetting Regina's face._

 _The last thing Regina could register was the image of the man in panic, the man she loved, the father of her daughter, before everything went dark._

* * *

 **CHAPTER 9**

"How is she?" Snow asked as she entered the hospital's waiting room, followed by David and Henry.

"We don't know yet." Emma answered, concern showing in her voice.

"Mom?" Henry approached her, looking directly at Emma's eyes, as he was trying to figure out if she was aware of the truth.

"We have to wait, Henry." Emma hugged him and whispered these words in his ear. If Regina had told someone about the baby, Emma was sure it had been Henry and judging by the worried look on his face, he knew it.

"I'm sure your sister is going to be fine." She answered his silent question in a low tone, and he nodded his head, still hugging her.

"She is going be to alright, man." David sat by Robin's side, who was staring at nowhere, with his face almost completely hidden between his hands, as his elbows rested against his knees.

"There was blood." He almost whispered these words, but didn't even look at his friend; his eyes still remaining focused on the floor.

"She's strong. She'll make it." He gave a little pat on Robin's shoulder, as a sign of comfort.

Dr. Whale was still checking on Regina and they didn't know the gravity of her injuries. The tension between them was evident, as they remained in silence, waiting for good news, at preference.

"Is Regina here?" Belle entered the waiting room, breathless, breaking their silent thoughts.

Emma nodded and Belle started a private conversation with her.

"Rumpel was desperate and asked me to find Regina. He wants to talk to her." She said in low tone to Emma.

"When I went after her, I heard what happened on the street. Apparently, something important is going on but he refuses to talk to me." Belle alleged, with a concern look.

"Regina is not in condition right now, Belle." Emma said.

"What's wrong with her?" Belle questioned.

"We don't know yet." Emma answered, rubbing Henry's backs.

"I understand… but I know Rumpel, I know when he is serious and I can tell you that I had never seen him like that before." The beauty confessed.

"I'm going to talk to him." Emma decided.

"He said _specifically_ Regina." Belle warned her, remembering her husband's words.

"Well, he will have to be satisfied with me!" Emma replied, kissed Henry's forehead and told her parents she was going to talk to Rumpel. Deep down, she knew something very wrong was happening and no one better than the Imp to answer her questions.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Emma hurried as she saw the man's condition and approached his bed carefully. That was definitely not the invincible, fearless and powerful Rumpelstiltskin she knew.

"Not very much well, as you can see." The imp accommodated himself on a sitting position, looking up and catching her pitiful stare at him but he had an idea about how he was different right now.

"Is there anything I can do?" She offered.

"I believe there's not, Miss Swan." He said and she could see sadness showing on his face for the first time.

"I believe while the darkness is still surrounding here and there's not a new Dark One, my condition will remain the same." He clarified.

"Do you know what happened?" She asked, approaching his bed.

"I don't know exactly but I could hear the screaming and I could sense the darkness."

"Do you still feel it?" Her brows knitted together as she asked.

"I had lived with darkness inside of me for a long time, Miss Swan." He said and she nodded in understanding.

"Belle said you wanted to talk to Regina."

"I still do." He replied.

"You can tell me." She suggested.

"I rather talk to her in person." He croaked out.

"That's not possible…" She said, shaking her head no.

"She's in the hospital." Her voice dripping with anxiety.

"What?" He asked, frowning his brows.

"The darkness almost caught her."

"Almost?" Rumpel's eyes narrowed.

"Yes." She responded, bringing suspicion to the man's mind.

"How did she escape?" He was curious because he knew the rules about the darkness, he had lived by them for a long time.

"Did someone else take her place?" He asked, a small bit of distrust showing in his voice.

"No, she did that by herself." Emma lied, trying to not sound suspicious.

"It's not how it works." He pointed it out, nodding his head in negative.

"She must have had help of someone really powerful." He affirmed.

"She managed it."

"I don't have magic anymore but judging by your reaction, I guess you know who helped her." Right now he knew there was definitely something the savior wasn't telling him.

"Who does have this strong magic in Storybrooke?" He insisted and Emma felt her muscles tensing up.

"It doesn't matter, she made it." She said in a firm tone, with no desire to discuss a topic that it was not her place to tell, it was Regina's privacy and she'd respect that.

"What did you want to talk to her?" She asked quickly, avoiding his answer and trying to change the subject.

Rumpel went silent for a moment, only glancing at her.

"Listen, if there's something you're hiding, it's better if you tell me right now. Especially if it can put the town in danger." Emma advised him.

"Zelena can use magic!" He blurted quick.

"What? How?" Emma almost screamed her questions.

"I helped her." He admitted.

"You did what?" She widened her eyes and shook her head incredulously.

"Are you crazy?" Her tone was stiff, showing her indignation. She couldn't believe the imp had helped the witch, she thought he had changed, but apparently, she was wrong.

"She threatened me by using Belle's heart." He explained, noticing the distrust and disappointment on her face.

"And you, as a sheriff, should have kept an eye on her."

"I knew she was too quiet…" She said for herself, looking down at the floor and wondering the consequences of Zelena having magic again, especially because of Regina's condition.

"Does she have anything to do with what just happened?" The blonde asked, an implied concern etched in her voice.

"I believe so, she has Merlin's wand and my dagger."

"Shit!" Emma exclaimed and swallowed hard this time. How could she have been so stupid and didn't suspected that Zelena was up to something - and something bad, by the way? She felt guilty and angry at the same time.

"She's trying to become the new Dark One." Rumpel finally told Zelena's plans.

"Oh my God!" Emma whispered, one hand coming to her mouth.

"You have to stop her before it's too late." He warned.

"We have to find Merlin, maybe he can help…" Emma started to make plans in her head: she had to find Merlin, maybe he could stop the craziness that Zelena was planning to do.

"She has him too." Rumpel cut her words and her hopes.

"Shit!" She cursed again, shutting her eyes close.

"She'll use him to conjure the darkness and to put her name on the dagger."

"Maybe today she failed but I'm sure she won't give up so easily…" Rumple was saying and remembering she was trying to become powerful since a long time ago.

For a time, Emma stood quietly listening and thinking until she finally broke the silence.

"What if she succeeds?" She asked and continued.

"You must know something able to stop the Dark One!" Whatever Rumpel had done in the past, the most of that he had done by the influence of the darkness. Still, she didn't trust him entirely, but right now, he was the one that owned the knowledge required to stop Zelena's agenda.

"I advise you to stop her first." It was his initial advice.

"Regina was the only one able to provide something to stop her, but if Zelena is right, Regina can't do that anymore."

"What do you mean? How possibly Regina could do that?" Emma argued, really curious about his answer.

"A baby." He answered reluctantly and then they eyed each other.

"Excuse me?" She asked, narrowing her eyes and intrigued by the suggestion.

"The only thing able to stop the Dark One is a product of soulmates." He answered and she quickly darted her eyes away.

"Emma?" He called, seeing her expression changing into a worried and pinched one.

"Does Zelena know about that?" She asked after she shook her head, trying to focus again.

"What do you think?" He insinuated and the pinched look was back around her eyes.

"If Zelena know I told you that, she'll kill Belle." He shivered and rubbed his hands together as he wondered the pain Zelena could inflict in his love.

"I'm going to protect her." Emma promised with sincerity.

"Stop Zelena before it's too late." He said, fear in his eyes.

"She'd come after Regina first but who knows what else she has in mind if she became the Dark One?"

"What if she became the Dark One? She is pregnant…"

"I warned her, while she's pregnant, hardly the darkness would come for her. Unless, of course, the darkness feels her or her baby as a threat, but it's not the case. Summing up, she can lose the baby."

"However, she has everything to conjure the darkness and I'm sure she'll succeed. She had always been persistent and I think she doesn't care about what'll happen to the baby. She wants power."

Hearing the answer, Emma shifted uneasily in front of Rumpel, not having a clue about how they were supposed to defeat Zelena. She knew about Regina's baby, but it was still an unborn baby.

How could a baby defeat the Dark One? Despite that, she didn't know about Regina's conditions right now. Was the baby fine? She really hoped so.

She only nodded to Rumpel, with her mind full of bad scenarios, backed out of the room and closed the door as she left.

* * *

"Did Rumpelstiltskin tell you what he wanted?" David approached Emma as she entered the hospital.

"Zelena can use magic." She breathed the words out.

"How?" This time was Snow questioning her, getting up from the chair.

"She threatened Rumpel and…." She made a brief pause and took a deep breath.

"She's trying to become the new Dark One!" She stated.

"Can she do that?" Snow's concern was evident.

"Yes. She has the dagger, Merlin and his wand!"

"Oh my God!" Snow exclaimed, widening her eyes in panic and letting her hands to her mouth.

"How's Regina?" Emma had to know if she was fine and especially her baby. However, she couldn't ask about it to her parents.

"Dr. Whale told us she's fine, still sleeping, but fine. She just has to stay under medical observation for this night. Robin is with her." David said, approaching his wife and hugging her as he noticed the tension about the situation.

"Where's Henry?" She asked, turning around and taking a look around the waiting room.

"Hey, mom." The boy greeted her, as he entered the room and Emma approached him.

"Is she really alright?" She asked in a whisper, her brows knitted together.

"They are…" Henry responded with reassured eyes and a little smile on his face.

"Good." She said, hugging him in relieve.

"Let's rest." She patted his shoulder.

"I want to stay with her." Henry was really concerned about his mother and his sister. He had to see with his own eyes if she was fine, he wanted to be there by her side when she woke up to reassure her.

"Henry, Robin is with her and I need you." Emma tried to convince him. She understood his worries but they had to find a way to stop Zelena as soon as possible. And Henry was smart, he was the one who figured out about the first curse and found a way to break it.

"There's something big going on and we have to create a plan as soon as possible."

"But…" He started to complain but she cut him off.

"You're good at these things, kid." She squeezed his shoulders, looking at his eyes and trying to show him the seriousness of the situation. She needed his help.

"Regina is fine for now and we have to assure that she and your sister remained that way." Saying that, she noticed his face expression changing into a more worried one, if that was even possible.

"Alright." He finally gave up.

"What's going on?" He asked, as they walked toward the hospital's door.

"Come on, I'm telling you on the way home."

"Dad, mom." Emma called her parents.

"We have to go home and start to think about our next move. I know Regina is the one good at these things but right now we don't have her. Henry is helping us."

They nodded, following Emma and wondering about the best way to stop the witch.

* * *

The first image she saw when she woke up was the blinding white of the hospital walls.

She blinked slowly, trying to compose herself and got the stinging out of her eyes before opening them fully and looking around.

"Regina?" Robin said happily, moving from where he stood in front of the window, pulled a chair to her bedside and reached for her hand. He could see her scrunching her eyebrows and fluttering her eyelids.

He let out a trembling breath in relief, grateful to see her eyes open, to see her chest rise and fall showing her breathing.

"Robin…" She whispered, barely able to speak and tried to sit on the bed.

"Try to save your strength, milady." Robin said with a small and reassuring smile on his face, holding her shoulders gently, making her lie on the bed again.

She rested her head back on the pillow with a deep sigh. Her whole body was aching, her head was spinning and she was trying to put the confused thoughts together in her mind. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to remember what had happened.

 _The darkness._

It was the first thing her mind could process at the time. But then she started to remember…

She remembered the screaming, the darkness attacking and dragging her through the air. She remembered the blue blast of magic that started to emerge from her whole body. She remembered Robin putting her head on his lap and touching every inch of her body, searching for any injury and then…

 _There's blood!_

Robin's voice was the last sentence she could hear that day. The urge to cry and let desperation took over her was tremendous, as she remembered the fear she felt before everything went black.

She remembered the pain, not only physically but mainly the pang in her heart at that moment because of the thought of losing her child.

 _Did she lose her daughter?_

The panic seeped back into her. Her mind was in full speed with all sorts of scenarios going through it. Her heart was about to jump from her chest. With widened eyes, she sat up suddenly on the bed again and let protective hands over her stomach, trying to feel a glimpse of life there.

 _Nothing._

She didn't feel anything and if she thought she had passed through pain in her life, she was wrong… that was the most terrible pain she ever felt.

She led her hands to her face, trying to control her sobs but it was inevitable. Her vision was blurred and her mouth was dry. She wanted to scream, run away for nowhere, but she couldn't move any muscle of her body.

She was in shock.

Immediately, Robin took her hands in his, desperate to tell her everything was alright but he felt that was something more. Her hands were cold and her facial expression was unread. She was staring at nothing, not even blinking her eyes at the moment. The woman he knew had never felt so scared like that before, he knew something was wrong, really wrong.

"Regina, please."

He tried to comfort her with nice words, but apparently, nothing could take her back to reality. He turned his head to the monitor and watched her heat beat quicken faster and her hands went even colder.

In her trance, the only thing that her mind could process was the burden of losing her child. She deserved that, she had been the great Evil Queen for so long, she had taken a lot of lives without a reason, and now, the destiny was charging its costs.

 _But why an innocent child? Why her child?_

She deserved pain, but not her daughter. She couldn't bear the pain of inflicting harm on her own baby.

 _No! No! No!_

She kept screaming internally, in a battle against herself, but her voice couldn't reach any ears. Despite her condition, she was aware of her body's reactions and the panic attack she was having right now.

"Doctor Whale! Doctor Whale!" Robin screamed stronger than he could, as he heard the beeps of the monitor getting stronger, and ran towards the door's room. His screams echoed to the corridors and when he saw a few nurses coming to his direction, he pleaded to them for calling the doctor immediately.

"Calm down, my love. The doctor is coming." He sat on the bed by her side again and tried to assure her, putting his hands above hers and squeezing them.

For the first time, she lifted her head and looked directly at his eyes, staring at them.

 _Robin, I lost our child…_

Her mind said that but not her mouth. Seeing him, with desperate eyes staring at her, made her start to come to reality.

She had been weak and coward for not telling him the truth, and right now, it was too late. She was thinking about how she was supposed to tell him about their baby and she hadn't figure out a way. How, right now, she was supposed to tell him she was pregnant, carrying his child, but she had lost it?

 _No! No! No!_

She couldn't admit that. She had even imagined her daughter's face: her eyes, her dimples and the raven hair swinging at her shoulders while she was running on the backyard's mansion to hug his father after a long day at work. She had dreamed about her daughter a few times, she was sure her child was meant to be. She shook her head in an attempt to expulse the bad scenarios away from her mind, but it seemed impossible. She'd never see the face of her precious little baby even once, she'd never fed her, never rock her in her arms, she'd never…

"NO!" It was the first thing she managed to say after she had woken up from her trance. She took her hands away from Robin's and tried to get out of the bed, taking the sheets with her.

"Regina…" Robin tried to control her movements, but she fought hard, avoiding his grip.

"Please, calm down!" It was his last attempted to control her before Dr. Whale entered the room.

"Calm down, Madam Mayor." Victor went directly to her and forced her body back to bed gently.

"Everything is fine, I assure you." The doctor squeezed her shoulders and she laid down on the bed again, with widen eyes and her whole body shaking.

"Everything?" She was able to ask, praying for him to understand what she was implying.

"You…" He said, looking at her eyes and then to her stomach.

"You are fine. Don't worry." He nodded his head and she could see a little smile appearing from his mouth.

"Trust me." The doctor noticed her doubts and fears and approached her even more, giving a firm grip on her shoulder. He didn't know if she had told him about her pregnancy, but he decided, just in case, to not speak about that out loud, unless she touched in that subject in front of the others.

"No one got hurt." He completed, looking at her eyes and trying to assure her once again. As soon as Regina saw Victor's look, she knew everything was fine with her and, especially, with her daughter.

Listening that, she really rested her head on the pillow for the first time since she was awake and breathed deeply. Her little girl was fine, she was still there, fighting for her life and Regina couldn't be more grateful for that. All the bad thoughts left her mind in an instant and now, she started to cry, but they were tears of happiness.

"Why did she bleed?" After a time and noticing the circumstances, a strong British accent invaded the room.

Regina widened her eyes. Robin was still there, sitting on the bed, with a wary expression, and probably, really confused about the whole situation. However, she couldn't say the truth for him right now because of her emotions and the adrenaline that were still running through her body. She had to set her emotions first and then, talk to him.

She turned her head and saw Victor still staring at her, waiting for any signal. Noticing the panic showing on her face, he decided to clarify her condition as long as he could, without touching in the real cause. But how could he do that anyway?

"The bleeding was normal. It happens to the most women in her condition." Victor said, but regret on his words immediately as he saw the archer's face.

"What condition? Is she sick?" Robin widened his eyes, looking directly at the doctor and waiting for a reasonable explanation.

"Robin…" Regina intervened and squeezed his hands.

"Can you please, take some water for me?" She requested, with begging eyes.

"Of course." Despite his suspicions, he squeezed her hands back and stood up, walking towards the table on the corner of the room to put some water in a glass.

"Are you sure the baby is fine?" Regina whispered to the doctor.

"Completely healthy and stronger than ever." Doctor Whale nodded his head.

"Can you please give us a moment?" She asked, signalizing towards Robin, who was managing to provide some water for her.

"Of course, take your time and don't stress yourself like that anymore. It's not good for you and you know…." The doctor followed her stare and understood the situation.

"You have to start your prenatal." Dr. Whale advised her.

"I know and I will." She confirmed to him because she'd do everything possible to take care of her brave girl properly.

"Good. You need some rest and good feed. Try to not use your magic because we don't know what that could cause on it." He said and pointed at her stomach.

"Tomorrow morning I'll prescribe the advices for you and the baby." He completed in a low tone, especially the word _baby_.

"Of course. Thank you." She nodded and he left the room, leaving a thoughtful Regina behind him.

 _It's now or never, Regina! Tell him!_

"Robin, I want to tell you something for a long time but…" She started to speak and he turned his attention to her, with the glass on his hand.

"Regina!" Suddenly, a panic voice, belonged to a scared man, invaded the room before she could say anything else.

"Are you alright?" Arthur sat on the bed and squeezed her hands tightly.

"I failed on you." He apologized.

"I promised to protect you but I left you because of my sword!" The king regretted.

"Please, forgive me!" He completed.

"Arthur…" Regina looked at him with begging eyes, praying for him not to mention her pregnancy, but she didn't know how she was supposed to say that with Robin inside the room.

"Are you alright?" Arthur noticed her hesitation but he was so focused on her that he didn't notice the archer standing still on the corner of the room, staring at them carefully.

"Yes…" She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, already knowing his next question.

 _Please! Don't mention the baby… please!_

"Is the baby alright?"

That was it. She knew what was coming next but hearing his words out loud, brought a chill to her spine.

It wasn't his fault, but at the same time, she couldn't stop blaming Arthur for bringing out the delicate subject; the one she was trying to explain to Robin herself. She wanted to tell him in private, only her, because no one else had that right but her.

However, she saw the king's worry, the sorry in his eyes for not protecting her as he had promised, and more important: she was sure if Arthur was aware of Robin's presence in the room, he would never have done that on purpose.

"The baby?" Robin's voice was emphatic.

Recollecting all strength that remained in herself, she lifted her head and got the courage to look at Robin. What she saw in his eyes, made her gasp. He hated her, she was sure about that. She had seen him angry before, but now was different: he was regretting of once meting her, he was even disgusted of her. That was not the reaction she was expecting from him. He was meant to be a father. She thought he'd like the idea, she thought he'd enjoy having a baby with her, but his face expression was implying another story.

Maybe she was wrong, maybe he was thinking about her past, about her dark days.

 _After all, what man would like to have a baby with the great and heartless Evil Queen?_

But she thought he was different. She thought he loved her. He was her soulmate and he was supposed to understand and forgive her past. She was different now, she was trying to prove that for a long time and he knew it.

 _But why was he so confused and upset right now?_

Right, he knew she couldn't conceive a baby, she cursed herself and her pregnancy have been a shock for her too. So, maybe she'd only have to give him some time to process the news.

 _But…he was off. Why?_

She'd tell him about their baby and after one second everything got torn and confused.

 _Oh no! Maybe he was thinking the baby was not…_

"Robin…" She succeeded to say his name under her breath as she comprehended the wrong thoughts that were surrounding his mind at the moment. However, judging the look she saw on his face, he wouldn't listen any explanation.

The whole situation was a mess, now she could see it. She was afraid of him never forgiving her for not telling him the truth before, but right now, she was certain he was thinking the baby was not his, but Arthur's.

"What baby, Regina?" Robin approached the bed in slow steps, staring at her and frowning.

"You're here…" Arthur closed his eyes and then looked at the panic woman in front of him. He muttered _I'm sorry_ for her but he knew his apologies wouldn't be enough to fix the situation he had caused.

"Of course I am here!" Robin shouted, snorting all his rage through his breath. He wanted to kill the king. He'd kill him if it wasn't for Regina, and if that man wasn't the father of her baby.

 _The father of her baby._

 _Arthur was the father of Regina's baby!_

Robin couldn't believe it. She shook his head, in an attempt to expulse his demons or wake up from this nightmare but when he opened his eyes again, there they were: a soon to be family. The woman of his life, the one that had told him she wasn't able to create a life, was with child. She was pregnant, and it was not by him.

"What baby, Regina?" He swallowed hard the words because even knowing the answer, he needed a confirmation.

"I…I'm…" Closing her eyes, a lonely tear was dropped from Regina's face.

She had wondered about many scenarios and ways to tell him about their miracle, but she had never imagined a sad one between them. Perhaps a complicated and messy scenario, but not that. That's why she was waiting, looking forward the right moment. Maybe she shouldn't have waited for so long…

"You are pregnant!" Robin completed the words she wasn't able to speak.

"Now I understand why you were so scared…" He continued to express his wrong thoughts out loud, while she could only remain her eyes shut, giving up on fighting against her tears.

"You were not scared about you, but your baby…" The noise of the glass falling from his hands and reaching the room's floor, shattering its pieces on it, brought her to the reality.

"Robin…please…listen to me!" Her whole body was shaking, her hands were trembling and her throat was dry, but she tried to explain, she needed to explain the situation for him.

"We were about to talk about something important." She tried to leave the bed and reach him but her body deceived her, she was still too weak and dizzy. The consequences of her daughter (their daughter) magic was still preventing her from being the strong woman she was, that she had to be, but right now, she couldn't.

"I understand..." Robin was furious, but determined, trying to be as colder as he could.

"No, you don't!" Regina voice's between her sobs was louder and supplicant.

"I do." He nodded his head in affirmation, giving a little scoff at her.

"Congratulations, to both of you." He gruffly said, starting to turn around and leave that damn room as fast as his legs could. He had to leave there because the room felt so small and it was too hard for him to even breathe.

"Robin…please, listen to me!" Tears gathered in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Her heart was hammering in her chest.

She didn't know what to do. He was so resolute about his own conclusions and she had no idea about how she could explain everything to him. He had seen Arthur sleeping over her house once and she understood why he was misreading the actual situation. She sensed that she couldn't convince him right now and putting the things properly on the table.

For God sakes! She and Arthur hadn't even shared a kiss. How, on earth, she would supposed to be waiting a baby of him?

"I'm happy that you and your baby are fine…" Robin stopped, scoffing and looking over his shoulders.

"I really am." He finally huffed.

"No, please…" Regina tried to stand up again but her body wasn't ready, she had to laid down and rest on the bed again.

"Man, I think you should listen to her…" Noticing Regina's condition, Arthur tried to intervene. He stood up from the bed and tried to clear the situation, he owned that for Regina, because after all, he was guilty and everything that was happening right now was because of him. He didn't want to put her in this position: he knew she loved Robin and she was waiting a baby of the archer, not his. He was Regina's friend, he promised to protect her and her baby, but he never wanted to hurt her badly the way he was doing right now.

"Shut up!" Robin furiously replied, stepping forward and putting a hand in front of him.

"I already said my congratulations…" The compulsion to cry, scream and let the desperation take over him was tremendous. But, Robin signed, clenched his jaw a little whilst looking at her in the eyes. He really had to hold himself back, and somehow, he was able to restrain himself as he shouted again:

"It was not that enough?"

"Now, I don't have anything to do with it." He dismissed with his hand and started to make his way to the exit again.

"Be fine, Regina… and take care of your child." He said his last words before he left the room.

"Robin!" She yelled as much as her lungs could bear. But it was too late: he was already gone and maybe gone forever.

When Regina heard the doors slamming strong with a _bang_ , she gulped hard but couldn't control her tears again. So she let them fall willingly.

"I'm so so sorry…I didn't know he was here." Arthur tried to apologize but he knew it was useless….he had screwed everything.

"I know…" She truly knew it wasn't his intentions but maybe, he had made her lose the man of her life and the father of her child forever.

"She's fine, alive and healthy. That's the only thing that matters to me right now." She lied to him, rubbing her hands over her stomach but not even looking at the king in the eyes, she just couldn't stare at him right now.

Feeling her daughter's response for the first time after her shock, she smiled. Her baby was still there, and somehow, was trying to communicate with her, trying to assure her she was fine and alive. And then, Regina thought that maybe now she'd have to focus her attention and energies on her miracle and try to forget about her feelings and frustrations. Because not matter what, her daughter was the most important thing at the moment, she deserved to be well cared for, no matter what Regina's heart was screaming right now.

* * *

 **Soooo…don't hate me, please!**

 **If Robin knows right now he's the father of the baby, his choice and actions will be** **committed on the next chapters.** **And I want him saving Regina only beucase of herself.**

 **Wait for the next chapter and see Robin proving his love for Regina despite the shock. I promise that everything I'm doing is for making him the hero of this story. Why? Well, I'm trying to do what Robin Hood and OutlawQueen deserve, since we don't have that on the show.**

 **Just….trust me. I know what I'm doing.**

 **See you soon and this time I promise it.**

 **Big kiss! Xoxo.**

 **Gi_Enigma**


	10. Chapter 10

**Did you miss me?**

 **It's been a long time since the last update. A lot of things happened and I almost gave up on writing this story. But, I promised I'd give an end to this and I will, trust me. But be pacient, please. hehehehehe**

 **Anyway, I really enjoyed to write this chapter. I hope you like it too.**

 **Chapter 10**

A week had passed since the incident in the main street with Regina. The citizens were in high alert, and every suspicious wind or change in the skies, were cause for worry. It was like they were waiting for the inevitable, and maybe they were.

Emma, Hook, David and Robin had tried, without luck, to find Zelena and stop whatever she was planning to do for becoming the Dark One. She had failed in the last attempt, but they were sure she hadn't given up and she was trying to find another way.

Robin was confused and lost, to say the less. His friends were haunting the wicked witch, but for him, they were after the mother of his child. He hated her because of everything she had done to him, but he couldn't stop to care about her welfare, after all, she was caring his baby. Only the thought about the innocent life made his heart tight.

 _What future would have the baby?_

 _Was the baby healthy and well?_

He had no idea but he was determined to find Zelena and, at least, try to talk to her and put any sense in her mind. However, he was almost sure she'd never listen to him.

"Where the hell is she hiding herself?" Emma snorted testily, dragging Robin away from his deep thoughts.

"It's been a week and I can't believe we didn't find her!" She muttered anxiously.

"Calm down, Emma. We'll find her." David tried to assure her.

"We're running against the clock, dad." She was discouraged because she was aware they had to find Zelena before it was too late. Once she became the Dark One, no one could stop her… well, not any born person would be able to stop her. She knew if they didn't act fast, maybe this unborn soul wouldn't have a chance to see the light of life.

"How's Regina?" Robin got the courage and asked to Emma.

"Why don't you ask that yourself?" She answered, a bit of bitterness showing in her voice.

"Emma…" Hook approached her and put a hand on her forearm, in a sign for her to contain her reprimands.

"You have no idea how that is." Robin shook his head, chuckling sadly.

"I think I do." Emma barked back.

"Listen, maybe it's not my place to tell you that, but I'll tell you anyway." Emma was saying but Hook interrupted her again.

"Emma, please." Her boyfriend adverted.

"No!" Emma shot a furious look at him and threw her arms away from his touch.

"It's seems Robin needs somebody telling him all the time what he is supposed to do and the right thing he has to do. This time, I will!" Emma was decided to tell some truths, since Robin only worked when somebody else advertise him about the real situation.

"Let her talk, mate." Robin put a hand in front of him, signalizing for Hook to let his girlfriend to tell everything she wanted to say.

"Good." Emma stated.

"I know it's hard for you but it's hard for Regina too." Emma approached Robin, staring at him in the eyes.

"Maybe if you had talked to her, you'd understand the whole situation." She pointed that out, since she knew he was avoiding talk to Regina since the hospital's incident.

"Do you think she was amused when we went to New York, to rescue you…" She pointed at his chest.

"At that time she thought you were in danger and she risked everything for you." The savior said.

"And when we were there, she find out _you_ got pregnant _her own_ sister!" Emma was spitting the whole truth on his face.

"I know it wasn't easy for her." Robin seemed taken aback by the statement, his eyes opened wide and the tone of his voice became louder as he tried to defend himself.

"And it's not easy for me seeing the woman that I love carrying another man's baby!" He blurted, and talked about that subject – the one he was trying to avoid since that day in the hospital.

"Listen, as you said, you love her and you should listen to her, you should talk to her." Emma tried to put some reason in Robin's head again.

"I don't think I can…" Robin tensed and took a deep breath, before shrugging.

"Well, in this case, you'll lose her." It wasn't her place for telling him the truth but that didn't mean she couldn't try to warn him about the mistake he was doing.

"I already did." He almost whispered, admitting his defeat.

"If you're saying…" She responded, folding her hands in front of her and staring at him, as the other did the same, in an awkward silence. Of course she felt sorry and guilty for him and for this whole situation, which by the way, she had caused in the first place, by bringing his dead "wife" from the past.

"Come on, Killian." She finally broke the silence because right now there wasn't anything she could say to Robin anymore. No matter how badly she wanted to fix this mess, she had to get away from there before she'd say something that she could regret later.

"I think we should cover the other side of the forest." She motioned towards a trail in the middle of the forest, on their left side.

"Of course." Hook agreed and started to follow her, leaving Robin and David alone at their previous path.

"I'm so sorry for Emma." David said, as Robin and he started to walk again.

"Don't be. She's right." Robin admitted sadly, breathing deeply.

"I swore to live my life based on a code of honor but I don't know where my honor lies anymore." He completed, looking down and not knowing about what he supposed to do.

"It's complicated, I understand." David nodded.

"Do you? Because I don't!" Robin exclaimed.

"I'm being weak, David… I know I am."

"No, you're not." David tried to comfort him and continue his speech:

"You didn't do anything on purpose… everything just happened and you got lost."

"But I did it anyway, and yes, I'm lost!" Robin said and rubbed a hand over his face.

"I don't know what to do." He chuckled sadly, admitting out loud his frustration.

"Zelena is carrying my child…" He gulped at the absurd of those words caused on him. He still couldn't believe in what was happening to him, how his life had turned upside down in a blink of eyes.

"Listen, there was a time I was in your position…" David started to talk about his past in Storybrooke, but comparing his situation at that time and Robin's right now, he _smartly_ added:

"Without impregnating Snow's sister, of course."

"Oh, man!" Robin closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to control his concerns.

"Sorry. I was trying to comfort you but this situation is surreal." David said graceless.

"And it was only once." Robin confessed.

"Once what?" David asked.

"Marian…I mean, Zelena and I."

"Really?"

"Yes." The archer answered.

"I was trying to move on, but every time she started something, I just couldn't... Regina was always in my mind."

"Marian kept pushing me, saying she was my wife and I had to fulfill my obligations as her husband." Robin was telling about his life in New York and David was listening quietly until he asked:

"Then, how happened?"

"One day, she brought whisky. I got drunk."

"I don't even remember…that night is still a blur for me."

"But you and her did…I mean..."

"Well, we wake up together in bed and naked. She's pregnant so…"

"I'm so sorry, man."

"Thank you. But right now it's too late to regret."

"Oh!" David exclaimed as they continued to walk and he caught the sight of something in front of them.

"What?" Robin asked, but following the line of his friend's vision, he felt his throat begin to tighten.

"That house." David pointed at the place.

"It was abandoned but right now it seems someone is living there. Look at the house's improvements." David was motioning towards the house in the middle of the forest and started to approach the place, with curious eyes.

"No!" Robin stepped forward, putting a hand on David's chest.

"Nobody is living there!" He huffed, demandingly. He didn't want to explain what that place meant to him right now, he was really frustrated for that.

"How do you know?" David asked, really enquiring about his friend's reactions.

"Trust me. Nobody's living there right now. Let's turn around and walk to our original path." Robin started to walk at another direction but David was persistent.

"Robin…" David looked over his shoulder and Robin stopped.

"Do you know this place?" David asked and Robin shook and leaned his head up, looking at the beautiful place, as the bittersweet and hopeful memories started to cross his mind.

 ***** FLASHBACK ON *****

 _Storybrooke, 2 months ago_

"I still don't understand why we are here." Regina complained as they were walking on the forest, while even the sun hadn't show up its face yet.

"There's no reason, we're just wandering on the forest." Robin squeezed her hand and smirked.

"Urghh!" She complained again and stopped, as she stepped false and lost her balance.

"I told you to take off these heels and put a comfortable shoe." He said and held her by the shoulders, helping her to straight the posture.

"Yes, but you didn't tell me we'd walk in the middle of the forest at this hour of the night!" She kept complaining.

"It's almost morning." He replied.

"Come on, Regina. Look how beautiful the place is." He tried to calm down her nerves because he had something really important to show her and he couldn't wait anymore, he needed to know her opinion.

"I just see trees." She stopped, rolling her eyes and waving her hands in the air.

"Exactly." He teased her, even knowing that was a dangerous thing to do at that time of the day. He knew how cranky she could be if she had to wake up early in a Saturday morning.

"And birds singing." She replied to him sarcastically, raising one eyebrow.

"This is called _nature_." He inhaled deeply, breathing the clean and fresh air into his nostrils.

"I'm sorry but I can't appreciate the _nature_ with these heels at 5 in the morning of a Saturday." She was acting like a sulky child who had no desire to wake up and goes to school.

"I ratter preferred my bed." She complained again and Robin couldn't help but think about how cute she looked in that moment. Of course he was not crazy for telling her that but his mind was screaming to take her right then and there against the next tree.

"Regina, I just wanted to show you what I love." He contained his urges and tried to explain how beautiful the nature could be, ignoring the reactions of his body at seeing her so infuriating and stunning – and bluffing, of course – in front of him.

Since the Missing Year, he felt in love with that image of her, and since then, he was always pushing her buttons only to have her like that again. Of course, he'd prefer her in those tight, sexual and inappropriate dresses, but he could picture her in one of those clothes right now. However, he had to restrain himself and be a gentleman, after all, they were in Storybrooke… he couldn't press her perfect body against the next tree and make love to her senseless right now.

He shook his head, trying to astonish his inappropriate thoughts and tried a different approach.

"I didn't know you wouldn't like it… I'm so sorry." He said that and because he had something special for her to see it. So, he decided to use the reverse psychology with her.

"No, I'm sorry." She apologized and he smirked proudly, since his plan had worked. He was playing dirty with her, showing to her his puppy eyes and his sad dimples. It wasn't fair but if he wasn't doing that, she wouldn't be there with him right now.

"I just hate to wake up early in a Saturday's morning." She stated and he stole a quick peek from her beautiful lips, making her snort, but smile.

"I know, but there's something I want to show you." He said excited.

"Alright. Let's start again and I promise you I'll try to relax." She gave up because no matter her hindrance right now, she loved him and she wanted to make him happy.

"Thank you." He smiled at her, appreciating her efforts and loving her even more for that.

"We're almost there." He took her hand and started to walk again, leading the way.

"There where?" She frowned in curiosity but he didn't answer her question and kept walking until they arrived in a place near to the lake.

"See? The sunrise." He pointed at the sky with his finger.

"It's beautiful." She said as she looked at the image emerging on the horizon.

The yellow shining sun was starting to rise from the ground. It filled the sky with mighty colors of red and splashed the clouds with endless rays of pink. It was bright and mesmerizing as it inviting to stare it forever.

"Come on." He invited her to follow him again, squeezing her hand, but she didn't move and kept looking at the sunrise. She had never noticed its beauty before.

"I've never seen this side of the forest." She admitted, completely relaxed.

"It's the other side of the lake." He said, smirking at her and feeling proud to bring a sincere smile on her face at that time of the morning.

"I found it during a patrol." He explained.

"There's a house there." She observed as she turned her head to the other side.

"Yes." His smile opened even wide.

"Who does live there?" She whipped her head around as she asked to him.

"It seems abandoned." He answered.

"I guess it is." She had never seen that place before and as the mayor of the town, she felt neglecting her position; she should know about that house and its dwellers.

"Let's find out." He suggested with a mischievous grin.

"What?" She raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"Let's break in." He suggested, enthusiastically.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She scoffed and raised her eyebrows. If she was honest, she was enjoying his suggestion. The adrenaline of a young girl (who couldn't do anything like that at her youth because of her mother) started to run through her veins because of the silly invitation and she couldn't hide a little smile.

"No, I'm not." He sealed his lips to hers quickly and started to head her towards the door's house.

"We can be under arrest for it." She warned him but she was enjoying the situation as much as him.

"I really doubt that." He shook his head; he didn't even need to look behind at her. He was sure the expression she was carrying on her face.

"First of all, you're the mayor of the town and I work at the police station." He pointed that out as they were walking towards the house with fast steps.

"Second, judging by our pasts, if we're not in jail until now, I'm sure we're not going to be locked up there for only breaking in an abandoned house." He teased her and she left out a loud laugh.

They continued to walk towards the door until the great thief found the lockand some problems within it.

"I guess the lock it's wheezy." He frowned his eyebrows, trying to work with the lock's door and the damn thing was not collaborating with him.

"Well, you're the thief here." She teased, smirking and looking down at him.

"And maybe it's not the lock that is wheezy but you." She gave him a teasing smile while he was working hard to open that thing and he just huffed.

"I'm not wheezy, My Majesty. I'm Robin Hood! I can do this with one of my hands." He said and kept working with one hand while the other one pushed her body to him with one motion.

"Prove it." She challenged him, giggling at his action.

For a long time she hadn't felt that way, well…. maybe never. Doing something illegal with a man she loved and who was bringing a lot of exciting feelings for her was something she had dreamed about it but never had a chance to experience it. How much she'd like to had met him in the past... If she had entered that damn tavern, maybe they had shared a lot of experiences like that together… but she was too coward at that time, she was scared and had ran away from him – at least it was what she was thinking.

"See? My skills are intact." After a few seconds, the door opened for them, revealing the inside of the mysterious house.

"After you, Your Majesty." He mentioned at her in reverence and she couldn't contain the young girl inside of her anymore.

" _Your_? Not _My_ anymore?" She said, smirking and walking inside the place, touching his chest with one finger, sliding it down on purpose until it met his waist pants as she passed by him.

"Whatever you like it." He swallowed and slowed his words as he felt her hands travelling on his body.

She stepped forward into the house, turned around and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled him close to her inside the house, making him smile and kissing him eagerly.

"Oh!" She exclaimed as she broke the kiss, looking around at the place.

"This place is huge." She said, as she recovered her breath.

"And there're bedrooms upstairs." He seemed excited to showing her the place and she noticed it by the tone of his voice.

"Have you already been here?" She was walking around the living room and touching the fireplace.

"Follow me." He approached her and took her hands in his once more, gently.

She followed him, as asked. He made his way to the upstairs, with a very curious Regina behind him. He looked over his shoulder and couldn't explain what he saw: the youth showing on her face at that moment, the brightness of her eyes…. He was sure he had seen it before. Of course the thought was crazy, but for the moment, the image was very familiar for him.

"What?" She noticed his behavior, frowning her forehead, and stopping on the steps.

"Nothing." He lied, shaking his head in negative and started to move again.

"I think that's the master room." He pointed at a specific room as they walked on the corridor at the second floor.

The place was wide, with a lot of dust, indicating the lack of cleanliness and habitation, but she didn't care, she could fix everything with a flick of her wrists. Despite, the house was warm, cozy and the view of the master room was breathtaking.

"Robin…" She said as she stepped outside the room, stopping at the balcony and admiring the view.

The air felt fresh and new and a gentle breeze caressed her skin. She watched as ribbons of golden sunlight spilled into the forest and reflected on the lake. The pine trees were a black silhouette against the brilliant gold sky. The dew drops, adorning the forest, seemed to glow with their own golden radiance.

She exhaled with relief and it was that moment that she registered his strong arms wrapping around her body from behind and his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Do you like it?" He breathed out the words close to her ear, as a whisper.

"I've never seen the sunrise for this angle." She admitted, taking a long breath.

She marveled at the glistening reflection of the sun on the lake and a thrilling feeling of awe swept over her. Brilliant gold and orange hues bled like fire in the east over the lake and beyond the town.

"It's beautiful." She was in need for a moment like that, a moment of peace, with him, only and alone.

The past few months seemed to disappear from her mind and the bitter moments of those bad times, had washed away with the soft lullaby of the waves of the lake singing along as the sun finally showed up in the sky.

"No more beautiful than you." He leaned his head to her and gave a soft kiss on her cheek, tightening his body against hers.

Since he had come back to the town, they didn't have the chance to be alone, to enjoy each other's company. It had been more than a week now, but every time they thought they could be alone, something or somebody had interrupted them. She missed that badly - being alone with him - and she could affirm, judging by his body reactions, that he had missed her as well.

"Thank you for showing me this, I guess I've never stopped to fully appreciate that kind of thing before."

Honestly, they had never had the opportunity to enjoy each other's company. It had always had a threat, a curse, a villain or a wife… and then Zelena. The only moment they shared any intimacy with each other until now was the time on her vault. And even at that time, there was a wave of guilty hovering on their minds.

"I'm glad you liked it. When I found this house, I couldn't wait to show it for you." He ran his hands softly over her shoulders and looked down into her eyes.

"I know you've always dreamed on living in a place like this one." He completed, looking at the horizon.

"Who told you that?" She turned around as the realization of his words hit her, staring at him in confusion.

"You did." His answer was short and resolute.

"No, I didn't." She frowned, trying to remember about telling him her old dreams.

"I think I guessed it…" Honestly, he didn't remember her telling him that, he just had some unknown and strange feelings.

Maybe he had dreamed or imagined about it, or maybe she had told him and forget. But observing the resolution in her eyes, he noticed she was sure she hadn't shared anything about that with him. However, he was feeling a sense of déjà vu and he couldn't explain the reason.

"I don't know." He mimicked her, frowning in return and trying to remember from where that statement had come from.

"When I was young…" She started to talk, seeing the confusion on his face, and feeling she had to explain her thoughts to him.

"I tried to run away with Daniel. I had a dream of living in a simple and quiet place… a place like this." She waved her hands to the place around her.

"Don't you like your mansion?" He asked, but already knowing her feelings about it.

"Yes, of course." She wetted her lips and looked down.

"But?" He tried to make her to expose her feelings.

" _But_ …"

"That house belongs to the mayor and to the Evil Queen." She stated.

"It's just… I'd never had a place for me, for…" She tried to admit, shyly.

"For Regina." He completed.

"It's stupid." She chuckled, sadly, shaking her head.

"No, it's not." He nodded his head and put his palms on her cheeks, making her looking at him in the eyes.

"You deserve a place for yourself and for your family, a place you can call home." He comforted her and she smiled in return, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"What's that?" She asked, looking over his shoulder, as he hugged her back.

"A stable." He said, as he turned his head around and followed the line of her vision.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, in excitement and sadness at the same time, while some memories were crossing her mind.

"I used to ride a lot when I was young." She said, remembering the time in Enchanted Forest, when she was a young and happy girl, learning how to ride a horse.

"I know it." He caressed her hair softly.

"How?" She was confused again because there was no way he could know those particular and private things about her past.

"I don't know…" He said gawky and she raised an eyebrow.

"I just have these feelings… I can't explain." He laughed but the sensation of sharing a moment like that with her before was still playing in his mind, but of course it was just a feeling.

"Maybe we had met in another life." He suggested and she scoffed.

"Or maybe you were stalking at me when I was young." She accused him playfully, frowning.

"We are soulmates, right? We are supposed to meet one another." He said, with a proud smile showing on his face.

"I think no matter when, you're supposed to be mine, milady." He teased, holding her waist, bringing her close to him and making her rolling her eyes.

"I'm glad you're enjoying the view." He looked deeply into her eyes and she couldn't help but smile back.

"You know what could make this really enjoyable?" He suggested, with a playful and suggesting smile on his face, the one that she knew really well.

"No!" She adverted him.

"Don't even think about it!" She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on his chest, trying to put some distance between their bodies.

In fact, she wanted him as well. She wanted him badly, if she was honest to herself. The environment was perfect: the warm of the room, the lights of the sun rising, his firm grip on her waist, the mischievous dimples showing on his face, the characteristic smell of him invading her nostrils and the growing urgency between her thighs…

"Why not?" He leaned his head and bit the skin of her neck softly and teasingly, bringing an unexplainable urge to her whole body.

"Are you scared?" He let one hand travel to her spine, making her shiver, until he reached her ass and squeezed it softly, making her desire increased.

"Really, Regina?" He breathed into her mouth, biting her lower lip, squeezing her ass harder and bringing her body even closer to his.

"Hmmm…" She moaned as she felt his evident arousal through his pants rubbing against her stomach.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" He looked imploringly at her and all she could do was nod her head before he crashed his lips against hers again.

The kiss was full of heat, passion and desire. She had never felt so wanted before. She was on fire, in need of his wet mouth travelling and leaving hot paths of saliva though her body.

"I'm not scared." She said breathless, lips swollen, after they broke the kiss. He chuckled at the sign. Even at those moments, she tried to be sassy and brave, but he knew she wanted him as much as he needed her right now. They needed to release, together, feel their bodies perfectly fitting against each other.

He lifted her into his arms and walked towards the balcony, supporting her whole body with his strong arms and sat her there.

"I just don't want anyone catching us in the act." She said, but wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing his body to hers, and kissed him hard once more.

"We're not teenagers anymore for…"

"Hmm" The previous words were an attempt to stop his actions, but she hummed as he started to unbutton her shirt, ghosting her skin with his fingerprints. She swallowed hard her words as he pushed her bra aside.

"For what?" He asked and then took one nipple into his mouth, alternating between sucking and biting before soothing it with his tongue.

"We…" She bite her lower lip hard when he moaned in satisfaction and twisted her nipple with the tip of his warm tongue.

"Making out…" Her voice was becoming impatient and her breath irregular.

"In public…" Beside her protests, her fingers were threading in his hair, gripping and commanding for him to keep his movements.

"In some else's house." She pointed that already giving up and closing her eyes, as he sucked her nipple eagerly, letting his free hand travel down to her body, until his fingers found her clit over her panties, and started to rub there.

He moved his lips back to hers again, keeping his fingers at her entrance, teasing the soft and already wet area. Her tongue was in his mouth, savoring and twirling around his, as her hips started to meet his fingers involuntarily.

He put her feet on the floor, with her body still sitting on the balcony and began to kiss her neck, his thumb quietly and deliciously rubbing her clit.

"Hmm…" She whispered and she was about to protest when she felt his fingers leaving her body. But then, she saw him kneeling down before her, spreading her legs apart slightly.

"This is not about adventure! It's…" She swallowed her final attempt to protest and gasped when she suddenly felt his fingers lifting up her skirt to her waist and pushing her panties aside.

"You were saying…" He teased, looking up, his hungry eyes meeting with hers chocolate ones.

Before he broke eye contact, his tongue licked at her bundle of nerves with a lot of despair that she had never felt in her life. A naughty smile showed on his face as her hold on his shoulder tightened and her nails burrowed on his skin.

"God!" She inhaled deeply as she felt the tentative licks of his tongue as he parted her folds, seeking her aching bundle of nerves.

"Oh!" She swallowed hard, reaching her hands down and placing them on his head now.

"Robin…" She begged, desperate for more friction and contact.

"Hmm?" He murmured and she felt the vibrations of his chuckles between her legs, tilting her head back with a sigh.

"We have to stop." The voice of the reason was screaming inside of her head but she wanted this, she needed this… right now!

"Hmm…" She closed her eyes again as she saw him kneeling right down with both knees in front of her. He pushed her hips down to his face and changed the angles of his advances.

"Oh…" She wrapped one leg around his neck, making his mouth crashed against her sex.

He continued to flick his tongue over her most sensitive spot, tickling and teasing her with quick, but soft motions. Now, she was holding tightly to the edges of the balcony with both sides of her hands curled into tight fists as her tension mounted. Long strings of moans mixed with words felt from her lips, mostly unintelligible, except for Robin's name.

"Robin… we have to stop!"

Robin sensed she was getting close to come because of the way she was wailing and writhing around.

And then… he stopped.

"Why did you stop?" She widened her eyes, totally frustrated, and made him to look up at her by grabbing his hair – harder than she intended to do it – but who could blame her?

"You asked for it." He licked her clit once more, looking up to her and smirking.

"Don't you dare to stop it right now, thief!" She complained and he couldn't help but chuckle.

 _Bastard!_

"I thought you said we were not teenagers anymore for making out in some else's house and in public." He knew he was frustrating her, pushing her out of the lines, but it was a beautiful kind of torture and he could see it through her blushed face.

"And I thought you could use your tongue for better things than peep talks!" She shouted back at him and forwards her hips to his face again, rubbing her waiting sex at his mouth, parting her lips and begging to him for continuing his sensual ministrations. If he wouldn't do that, she promised for herself to burn him alive with one of her fireballs.

And it seemed worked. The next thing she sensed was he moving her panties down to her feet – which she kicked away fast – and licking her folds like a starving man at a feast.

He chastised her when she jumped up, as if she didn't know that already. He chuckled and she shivered as she felt his hot breath on her again.

"Oh!" She exclaimed as his sudden movement surprised her.

"Right there!" Her knees were almost straddling his head, clenching his ears as her legs trembled when she felt his mouth on where she was needing it most.

"For God's sake, Regina." He groaned as he felt her wetness and she felt his words more than hear them.

She spread her legs open wider and moved up to hover on top of him. He stared up at her bundle of waiting nerves before she covered up his face up with it.

He held on to her thighs tightly, kissing her over the folds chastely at first, then looking up at her with his heavenly blue eyes as one of his hands drifted up to grope her breasts over her clothes.

"Robin!" She cried out.

He pressed the tip of his tongue from top to bottom, in and around, out and in, pressing his tongue flat and then in between the crevice of her folds. As he did that, she kept grinding against him so that she almost felt his nose rub against her clit, and he kept fondling her everywhere he could.

Her entire body quivered when his other hand squeezed her ass. His mouth speeding up its movements and adopting a pattern: lick, nibble, and suck, as she rotated her hips faster.

She clasped his hair with both hands, messing up his perfectly combed blond curls.

He sucked hard her swollen clit between his lips, flicking it gently with his tongue while his finger curled into a come-hither motion inside her.

She couldn't take it anymore. She wouldn't last much longer with his altering speeds and motions, or his penetrating stare.

He added another finger, curling, hitting her sweet spot and she started to fall apart. Her legs were shaking violently. She hold his head against her and rubbed her sex against his mouth, trying to enjoy the burning and delicious sensation that was taking control of her body.

Robin twined his free arm around her leg and held her upright. His fingers thrust in and out of her faster and faster, sucking her clit as deeply as he could until she began convulsing. His other palm started to rub her erect nipples as her juices covered his face, dripping from the corners of his mouth and chin as she gripped at his hair even harder (it was that even possible?).

A wave washed over her, drowning her in it. She squeezed her thighs tighter around his face as she came, harder than ever in her life. She felt her tremor expand from the tips of toes to the ends of her fingers, while her vision blaring white and the only thing she could do was scream his name.

She couldn't feel her knees, her breath was as irregular as her heartbeats and she almost collapsed after her orgasm if it wasn't for Robin's hands bringing her trembling body to his lap.

She could feel his lips touching the top of her head softly and his hand enveloping her small figure as she was recomposing herself.

"I love you."

Those three simple but meaning words, almost whispered in her ear, made her eyes widen, her heart stopped and her whole body tensed up.

Since the town line, deep inside, she knew he'd say it to her, but at that time, the words were gone unspoken. She stopped to believe in love for a long time and she wasn't waiting to love again, but then, Robin happened in her life and she began to believe once more. Still, she thought she wasn't worthy after everything she had done. However, she had waited to hear it again. The young and hopeful Regina had remained inside her even in her darkest days as the Evil Queen. Now, the man she loved, her soulmate, was saying these words to her for the first time and she couldn't trust in her ears.

A miscellaneous of emotions washed her mind: her sister was pregnant and he was the father. He had moved on with other woman, got her pregnant, but he had been deceived by her, by her dirt game. He was a victim, right? And he was there right now, telling her what no one had been capable of since Daniel. And she knew it was true. She knew he loved her, she could feel it. He loved the person she was and had been, he loved all of her.

She looked up at him and met the honesty coming from his eyes. The feeling brought tears in her eyes, tears of joy she wasn't able (and didn't want) to stop.

They were perfect in their imperfections. They were a match. They were soulmates. That weird fairy was right after all. That damn dust worked and not only because it was magical, but because her heart and soul was screaming her feelings for her.

The man she ran away for a long time was right now in front of her, saying he loved her. It wasn't coincidence, it was destiny, and it had been prophesied, despite the real life's obstacles.

 _Was she ready to say that words out loud to him?_

She knew she was, but she was still scared. So instead, she leaned forward and crashed her lips on his, trying to show her feelings to him though her acts.

He reciprocated her kiss while he wiped the tears away from her face at the same time. He knew they had a lot to discuss, but right now, they just had to feel each other again.

"I love you, Regina." He assured her, cupping her cheeks with his hand and his eyes found hers, after they parted softly, ran out of oxygen.

She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and enjoying their moment. The warmth spreading from him was intoxicating, vicious, and she couldn't resist on that. When she opened her eyes and met him staring at her, she managed a small chuckle at that. After all this time, she loved someone and she was loved back.

"What?" His lips pulled into a frown.

"Nothing." Shaking her head, she leaned forward and kissed him again.

At first, it was supposed to be an innocent kiss, and it was, but when their tongues started to dance together in a fast rhythm, a heat started to grow inside her belly again.

She sat up, straddling him. She could feel his hard length through the fabric of his pants and then, she grounded herself against him. His hands settled on her hips pulling her to him even more.

She kissed him back clumsily as his lips guided hers patiently until she granted his tongue permission into her mouth so that she could taste herself on him. She pulled his head closer and rubbed her hips against him desperately.

She leaned forward and kissed along his neck, biting it lightly with her tongue as she suckled on it, then teased and glided along the skin beneath his ear until reaching his lips. An electrifying jolt passing through her as their lips reunited.

"Regina." His voice was slow and heavy against her lips.

She ground her uncovered sex against him even harder and her hands started to work on his belt and then on the pants zipper. She freed _him_ and took _him_ in her hand. She gave his sex long and slow strokes, and she grinned as she saw his head fell back against the wall with a "thud".

"I need you inside of me." She leaned forward, whispered it in his ear and he swallowed hard, firming his grip on her hips, as she kept stroking him with one of her hands while the another were working with the buttons of his shirt.

She got the courage and bite the side of his jaw, making him left out a guttural moan and bucking his hips hard and fast into her hand. She started to rub her sex against his length back and forth, as her hand didn't stop the ministrations. Her hand and hips at the same rhythm: rubbing, scratching, wetting his cock and abdomen with her juice.

She couldn't get enough of him; she wanted _more_ _,_ she needed _more_. She rose up on her knees and lowered herself completely, making their sighs became heavy. They hummed together at the feeling of him filling her after all that time. She moved slowly at first but she couldn't keep teasing him, it wasn't time for games. She was desperate for more, for releasing again, and this time, with his cock buried deep inside her.

He managed to open his eyes and took the sign of her: the most stunning woman, the woman he loved, was straddling him hard, taking him completely, gasping and with her head falling backwards. Her blouse was half open, her bra pushed aside, her beautiful breasts were shaking as she was taking him up and down. Her nails were ingrown hard on his shoulders, her skirt was pushed at her waist and her cheeks were blushed. He was sure he had never seen something so beautiful in his life, so he squeezed his grip on her.

Once she opened her eyes and saw him staring at her with lustful eyes, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him down onto his back, making their _sexes_ lost contact at the action. He almost started to complain about that but with a flick of her hand, she undressed them completely.

Every part of him was perfect, from his ruffled blond curls and brilliant blue eyes to his thick baker's hands. She licked her own lips as her eyes followed the contour of his broad chest, down his just visible six-pack, traversing the fine muscular V of his taut hip muscles until they fell upon the center of his pleasure and she imagined that thick, veiny thing shoved deeply into her mouth. The thought of it made her clit throb between her sodden lips. But right now, she needed to come. She could do that another time.

So she rose her body a little again, before taking him completely into her and riding him hard and fast as never before.

She moaned brokenly as he digged his fingers into her hips, holding her to him like a lifeline. He thrust his hips back to her and buried himself in her to the hilt. Their moans were breaking the stillness of the surroundings.

"Regina, I'm…" He tried to say after a time, but it was too late, her walls fluttered around him, calling out his name and bringing his release with hers.

She collapsed onto his chest, nothing but a sweaty pile of quivering limbs and racing hearts. Slowly, like waking from a wonderful dream, it dawn on her where they were and she chuckle at first, but started to smiled hard against his chest. He, as always, seemed to read her thoughts and smiled with her, making their chest join with the ups and downs of their laughs. They were two idiots making love like teenagers in someone else's house in the light of the day. But they didn't care. The moment was perfect. They were perfect for each other. Life was being a villain to them, but they'd find a way to stay together. They deserve to share their feelings, desires, worries and happiness with one another.

"I love you too." She lifted her head, supporting herself on her hands against his chest and looking deeply at his eyes.

"We'll make it work, my love." He kissed her forehead softly and breathed deeply in relief as he enveloped his arms around her.

"We will." She replied, resting her head on his chest and hearing his heartbeats becoming regular again.

It was clear for them the challenges they'd have to face. The real life was waiting for them outside that house, knocking constantly on their minds, but they love each other. Love could break any dark curse or undo the effects of any potion. After all, true love was the most powerful magic at all, wasn't it?

If only they knew they had just made a precious and unique soul together right now, maybe things could be easier… or not.

Life isn't easy, especially for those who want to live and love intensely and had this right denied for a long time ago. However, as that beautiful fairy told Regina in the past, they were destined to be together, no matter what. They were destined to create a new life, a new magic whisper of hope.

At the end, despite their damage lives and the attempts of their enemies to separate and prevent them from creating that little miracle, here she was: looking for a place inside Regina's womb, in a house they had dreamed to live together for a long time ago, even if they couldn't remember it. But their little girl was brave and she was trying to make her appearance into the world… and in that day, with the love her parents felt for each other and despite the cruel destiny and circumstances, she made it.

 ***** FLASHBACK OFF *****

 **"** No. I don't know that house." Robin lied.

"I'm just guessing." He tried to convince David but his eyes gave him away.

"You're lying." David said as he saw the expression on his friend's face.

"What does that place really mean to you, Robin?" David frowned, looking at the beautiful house, knowing his friend was hiding something important from him.

"It was supposed to be our home…" Robin admitted after a long pause, remembering the time when he brought Regina there and showed the house for her, without telling her his future plans. He wanted to make a surprise, but right now, everything was useless.

"I'm sorry?" David raised an eyebrow, trying to light the mood of his friend, but knowing exactly what he was implying.

"Regina's and mine… for our family." Robin raised his head and looked at the balcony, feeling his heart tighten in his chest.

"I bought the house when I came back to Storybrooke." He decided to tell the truth for his friend. He was planning to tell Regina at that day but he thought it was better to finish the repairs first and then tell her. It was supposed to be a surprise and since she liked the house, he was excited to show her the place they could call as their home one day.

"I found it on a patrol and I thought it was the best place for us to start all over again." He should have told her at that time because right now he couldn't do it anymore.

"Our new beginning, our second chance…" The second chance that now it seemed more like a bittersweet and really distant dream to him.

"The foundations are really conserved." David observed as they were walking around the place.

"I negotiated with Marco, the original owner, and I'm still paying for it, but right now it's useless… everything it's over." Robin shook his head in defeat.

"Maybe it's not." David tried to encourage him.

"Do you really love her?" David stopped to walk and stared serious at his friend.

"Excuse me?" Robin widened his eyes because, at this point, he thought it was an obvious answer. He thought no one should have a doubt about it.

"Of course I do love her!" He was trying to prove at all costs his love for her, even in public.

"Then fight for her, no matter the circumstances." David stated.

"But I did…" Robin cringed at the words, his eyes narrowing and his head down, trying to figure out what else he had to do to prove his love for her.

"Do you think my relationship with Snow had never had obstacles?" David remembered their time in Storybrooke at the first curse and even their time at the Enchanted Forest had not been a fairytale. Despite the magic and curses, they were a real couple, with real problems.

"The fairytales books are wrong, man. Trust me." David said and Robin chuckled.

"Regina doesn't want me anymore." Robin rubbed a hand over his face.

"But she still loves you." David stated and noticed his friend tensed and took a deep breath, glancing down the whole time.

David was almost sure the reason behind Robin's behavior but he felt he had to touch in the delicate subject soon or later, deciding that right now it was the best time. They were friends, weren't they? And friends have to stay together in the goods and the bad moments.

"Don't you think you can love her baby as your own?" David finally blurted, wishing his friend wouldn't scold him for his audacity.

There was a pause, a brief moment where the two friends stared at one another down until Robin exclaimed.

"Of course I can!" Robin waved his hands through the air, totally frustrated. He had no desire to discuss this topic but he knew he could trust David and maybe he was the only one that could understand his feelings right now.

Robin knew he was neglecting her calls and attempts to talk to him the whole week, but he had his reasons. She was pregnant. She was waiting a baby and it happened that the baby was not his. He needed time to process everything. He hadn't even slept the last few days because of it, trying to understand how their situation had got at this point.

"Then, why are you struggling about that?"

"I wished the baby was mine..." Robin finally admitted his frustration, blinking away the unshed tears he was trying hard to not them fall.

How much he wanted to have a baby with her, a product of their love. He was confused since she had told him she was barren.

How would she be pregnant right now? That was impossible!

Maybe it was not, maybe she found a way, but that only could have happened to him, to them, and not to her with another man.

"The baby can still be yours, my friend." David tried to assure him, as he saw the internal struggles of the man in front of him.

"If you raise, take care and love the baby, it'd be yours." David said, seeing Robin shifting uneasily in front of him, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"And she's not with Arthur, you know?" Yes, David was gossiping, like his wife, but he didn't care. At this moment, he only wanted to bring some comfort to his friend.

"Are you sure?" Robin raised his eyebrows and for the first time, David saw a bit of hope on his face.

"Yeah. I heard her talking to Snow." David finished his gossip. His wife would kill him if she found out he was telling Robin about her private conversations with her step mother. But to be honest, he didn't care, he knew how much Robin and Regina loved each other and maybe they only needed a push. He'd explain to Snow later, in case she knew about his big mouth.

"I didn't tell you that, alright?" David pointed at a finger to Robin and he nodded.

"Right." Robin assured his friend with a small smile that started to appear on his face.

"I didn't hear one word about it from you." Robin completed and David was sure he could trust his friend.

"Nice house." David stopped at the front door, looking at the building sit. It was indeed a huge place, like a little farm, with a lot of green areas and fresh air. It was a little hidden paradise at the city.

"I know." Robin smirked, his eyes softening, remembering that Regina had loved the place, even not knowing at that time it was theirs… hers.

He had brought that for her, for their family to live together, for their new beginning. A new beginning he had given up last week, but David's words had brought a flame in his heart again…they still could do it, they could still be a family.

"Do you need help with the repairs?" David interrupted his thoughts.

"Are you applying yourself as an assistant?" Robin asked, with a playful smile.

"Maybe. I have to check on my magical agenda." David answered and they both laughed.

"Then yes, thank you…and not only for the house." Robin became serious and extended his hand for his friend, being surprised as he felt David's arms hugging him.

"Let's finish the house for your family, Robin." David said as he hugged Robin tight, patting his backs. David really wanted Regina to be happy with Robin, more now than ever. He chuckled as he thought that maybe Snow's influences were hitting him hard at this moment.

"Yes, for my family." Robin said that and couldn't control a wide and hopeful smile growing on his face, as the friends released from their rare display of affection.

Yes, his family. They could be a family: Regina, Roland, Henry, Regina's baby and the baby Zelena was carrying (apparently she didn't want the baby and she had definitely no conditions to take care of a child, but he would).

They could do it, Regina and him. Maybe it wouldn't be easy and traditional, but the most satisfying and beautiful things in life are never easy. He only should get courage and talk to Regina, straighten things right, have a serious conversation with her once for all. No matter the impediments their lives were bringing up to them, they still love each other.

They still could be a family and start their lives all over again in that beautiful house. And he hoped that one day, they could call that place as their home. The voice of hope was screaming hard to his heart that, one day, they would.

 **I promised I'll post the next chapter very soon, maybe next week.**

 **Next chapter: more of page 23 and Robin will see Regina again in SB (lot of feels).**

 **Mwah *-***


	11. Chapter 11

**So...here we go again.**

 **This is a record: 2 chapters in 1 week!**

 **Gabi: this chapter is for you. Happy Birthday, sweetie! *-***

 **Polypocket,** **Arancha, Bia, Nikki, Lola, Ellis and Amanda: thanks for your unconditional support.**

 **Tuane...odeio vc! 3 Iludidas...odeio vcs eternamente!**

 **Chapter 11**

 **** FLASHBACK ON ****

 _Enchanted Forest, many years ago…_

"Hi." She said as she approached him at the same place on the forest they had met for the first time.

It had been almost six weeks since the first time Regina had met her soulmate and after that day, they were seeing each other every single day. Every time she had seen him, she had blushed and giggled as a teenager girl. Her skin flushed in embarrassment. She couldn't help it. She was in love with him and they didn't even share a simple kiss yet. She was been delusional, if she was been honest to herself, but her heart ponded fast inside her chest only at the thought of seeing him again.

Each time they had met, the feelings they were sharing for one another were becoming deeper and stronger. It was easy talking to each other and being together. She had told him about her life, her fears, her dreams and even about her magic's lessons with the imp. She had listened his story as well, the happy days of his childhood and the sadness that developed inside him because of his father's cruelties.

"You're late." He pretended to be angry but couldn't control his wide smile as the sign of her. She was beautiful, the most beautiful one. He was trying to be a gentleman, a man of honor but the desire of crashing his lips on hers was increasing every time he had seen her. He couldn't wait to feel her taste, to sense her warm, but he knew he had to wait until the right moment.

"I'm sorry." She said shyly but smiled back at him.

His blue eyes studied her for a moment, taking her figure in. She was a vision. His vision. He approached her more, taking her hands in his and bringing them up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on each knuckle, shivering at the feeling of her delicate skin against his mouth.

"I'm glad you came." The distance dividing their faces were too small for him keeping his sanity and well behavior. However, he knew about her story, about her forced marriage, so he had to be a nobleman with her, after all she deserved that.

The way she blushed and put her hair behind her ear were not helping him at all. He was in love with her, definitively and hopelessly in love with her, but he was afraid to tell her about his deep feelings and astonish her. So, he had to control himself; at least he was trying hard to do it. But one thing he was sure: she was his first crush and first love.

"Come." He took her hand on his firmly and started to lead them to a place in the middle of the forest.

"I want to show you something." He said over his shoulder as they walked towards to the mystery place he was leading them. She smirked, intrigued by his excitement.

Despite their short time together, Regina felt that she knew him as she had never known anybody else. Maybe because they shared similar stories and pasts, or maybe that was what soulmates should feel towards each other. She had never felt a strong connection like that before and that was scaring the hell of her. Even only observing his body's language, she knew his thoughts, but she had to be sure about one feeling specifically.

 _What if he wasn't feeling the same way towards her?_

 _What if she was being only a distraction to him?_

 _What would happen when the king come back home?_

There were so many doubts hovering over her mind, but she was hesitating to say them to him.

"Here." He told after some minutes walking into the forest.

"It's a house." She looked at an old construction in front of her. Apparently the place was abandoned and she had no idea why he was showing that to her.

"Indeed it is." He nodded happily and he continued the walk around the house, still holding her hand.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He asked, looking directly at her eyes, as he stopped their walk in front of the house.

"It is." She looked up and admired the place. The house was simple but beautiful, with a porch on the second floor, that she assumed it was localized on the master room.

"There's a lake there." He pointed at a trail which leaded to a beautiful lake, with limpid water, located only a few meters from the place.

"I bet we could see the sunrise reflecting on the lake from there." He pointed with his finger again, this time at the house's porch.

"I'm sure it's amazing." She looked at the porch and then at the lake for a few times, trying to imagine the sun rising, illuminating and warming the place, little by little in the mornings. The place was a dream. A dream she used to have when she was a little girl and still thought that life could be simple.

"And there's a stable there." He continued to show the propertyto her buthis excitement died as he saw Regina's expression changing into an upset one.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you." He immediately apologized for his actions. He knew she had loved a man before and that was, at the same time, bringing confusing and selfish thoughts to his mind.

He knew about Daniel, she had told him their story and he respected that but he couldn't control the pang in his heart for knowing she loved a man before him. It was ridiculous, he knew it. He had met her only a few weeks ago, but it seemed she had to be his for the whole life, _only_ his.

However, he understood that Daniel was important to her and that had been taken away from her in the worst possible way. Only the thought of Regina and Daniel's story, as she told him, made his heart tightened. He respected the man because he had brought happiness to his sweetheart's life.

But he could be jealous at the same time, couldn't he?

For now, he still didn't know to where their relationship was going and he didn't know her feelings towards him

 _How could a queen entrust her heart to a common thief like him?_

He only had a guess, just that. Despite the obvious impediments, she was married and she was the queen. He could never give her what she deserved. With him, if she was willing to be by his side, their lives would be an endless running and hiding. But truth to be told, he didn't care, as long as he had her by his side.

"It's fine, a painful memory." She interrupted his thoughts as she saw the pain and guilty showing on his face for bringing up that delicate subject. Of course she was still hurt because of Daniel and maybe she'd always be, but that thief was bringing light and love into her life again.

"I know. I'm sorry." He hold both of her hands and stared at her. She nodded and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding at the first place.

"When I found this house, I couldn't wait to show you." He explained to her. To be honest, he wanted to live with her in a place like that. He was crazy, maybe he was being precipitant, judging by her marital status, but he couldn't prevent the thoughts and dreams he was having with them together since he had seen her for the first time in the tavern.

"Why are you showing me this place?" She glanced at him and asked with curiosity and hesitation at the same time.

"You said you tried to run away with Daniel and you had a dream of living in a simple place like this one."

"Yes, I had." She swallowed as her breath caught in her throat, looking down at her feet.

"Did you give up?" He placed his hand on her chin and lifted her head to him.

"Robin…" She said sadly and he must have sensed her nervousness because he started to caress her cheeks softly, trying to amaze her fears.

"Regina, we can change that."

"We can change that together." He said, with a resolution that he had never have previously in his life. He wanted her more than anything.

"I can't see how!" The disappointment was showing in her voice as she spoke.

"We'll find a way. I promise you." He tried to assure her. He knew their situation was complicated. She was married to the king, for God's sake! But that wouldn't stop him. He'd fight for her because he wanted to make her happy for the rest of her life and he was sure she could make his life happy as well. She was his happy ending, he was sure of it.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, noticing her anxiety.

"I was informed the king is coming back next week." Her voice cracked.

"We can't see each other anymore." She finally confessed her fears and turned her back to him. Since that morning, when she heard the news about the king, she couldn't think about anything else. She had to stop seeing Robin and that was killing her.

"I'm sorry …" She tried to say something but no coherent words came to her mouth. So, instead, she only apologized.

"Do you want that?" He gently hold her elbow and turned her face to him again, staring deeply into her eyes, seeing fear and pain there, and that was killing him. He had to save her, and save himself in the process.

"Don't you want to see me anymore?" He got the courage and asked her what was troubling him. He had to know if she was doing that because she was scared or because she wasn't in the same page as him.

"Robin, it's not that simple. I'm married to a powerful man!" She exclaimed, her eyes focused on the floor again.

"That's not my question." He insisted.

"Please, look at me." He took her hands in his and she watched their hands for a few seconds before licking her lips and raising her eyes to meet his again.

"I know maybe I'm being hasty right now and maybe I'll scare you but I have to tell you the truth." He was fighting the urge to tell her about his feelings because he was afraid about her reaction; but he sensed the right time had come. If he didn't tell her his real feelings right now, he could lose her forever.

"We just know each other for a few weeks but I'm sure we can be happy together, in a place like this one." He motioned with his head to the house.

"I know we can be happy together but…" She agreed with him but the implications of them being together were frightening her. She couldn't lose him too.

"I had never felt that way before, Regina." He confessed, his eyes shining with love and hope.

"Since I met you, my days are summarized in thinking about when I'll see you again. Even when I close my eyes, you're the only image that comes to my mind. You're my first thought when I open my eyes in the mornings, and my last thoughts at night before sleep consumes me." He opened his heart to her, fearing she couldn't reciprocate his feelings.

Tears filled her thick lashes and she bit down the sob building in her throat. Her heart was going in a million miles an hour because she was feeling what was coming next, or at least, she was hoping he could say what she wanted to hear it. She thought she'd never have that kind of feeling in her life again but the man right in front of her was proving her wrong.

"I'm madly in love with you, milady." He finally confessed, his heart knocking hard in his chest.

There was a pause, a moment when the two of them only stared at each other. He stared at her, trying to hear her thoughts but the look in her face was a puzzle for him to read.

Suddenly, panic settled back to him. She didn't love him. He was a fool for opening his heart for her.

How could she possibly want to live her life with a man like him? He was a thief, he couldn't provide the life she deserved.

He let his hands in his pockets and blushed, looking directly at the ground.

"Robin." She called his name but he didn't look up.

Noticing the discomfort and shame on his behavior, she couldn't help but grin at him. She had never thought he could be cuter than he was right now.

She licked her lips and tried to control herself but she couldn't avoid the laugh leaving her mouth. She was happy and she couldn't control it. She looked at the embarrassed, cute and strong man in front of her, who had declared his love for her. He loved her and she couldn't be happier than she was right now, so…. she laughed.

"What?" He lifted his head as he heard the sound of her laugh, his brows knitted together in confusion.

 _He was opening his heart to her and she was laughing at his face?_

"Why…" He started to ask her but stammered out.

"Why are you laughing?" He questioned her but seeing the lightness spreading from her features, his lips turned up too. He couldn't be more confused than he was right now but he was happy to see the lightness on her eyes.

"Because…" She tried to suppress her laugh as she explained and she let one of her hands came up to rest against his cheek.

"I'm happy to know the feeling is mutual." She looked deeply into his eyes and could see a spark of glow shining in his eyes again.

"Is it?" He questioned, still unsure of her reaction and because he had to be sure that that wasn't a dream.

 _Was a queen in love for him?_

Seeing the confusion on his face, she felt the need to assure him somehow, and sometimes words aren't enough to explain feelings.

She had no idea what force got into her, but she closed the space between them, grabbed the lapel of his shirt, stood on her tiptoes and crashed her lips on his tightly. He widened his eyes, reacting of her boldness, but the heat of her passion and sweet scent of apples on her breath enticed him to meet her. He reciprocated the kiss as soon as he felt the warm radiating from her lips. They closed their eyes and their lips brushed lightly but firmly.

After a short time, she parted back, her fearful eyes finding his.

She didn't have time to react or think about what she had done, as he quickly captured her lips again.

He kissed her, softly at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made her cling to him as if he was the only solid thing in a dizzy swaying world. His insistent mouth was parting her shaking lips, sending rough tremors along her nerves. Her hands came circling his neck. Their bodies staying even closer. A moan escaped from her lips, making him deepened the kiss with a low growl. They are caught in the moment, heat passing through their bodies as their tongues slide across the other. Time seemed to stop and they didn't know for how long they stayed like that, enjoying and learning the taste of each other.

They only separated to catch some air, both breathless, really close and breathing the hot breath of each other. Their eyes were closed, foreheads touching, both of them savoring the moment. His arms wrapped around her waist and her fingers intertwined with his.

"Robin…" She whispered against his lips and he hummed in response.

"What about now?" She questioned and stepped back a little.

"When the king is back, I don't know how we'd meet like that anymore." She started to sound desperate. She didn't want to lose him, and worst, return to her life as a Queen and pretend to be happy with her disgusting husband.

"We're not meeting like that anymore." He stated and she frowned in confusion.

"Run away with me." His hand raised, his thumb tracing soft strokes against her cheeks.

"I tried to do that once and I don't want you having the same faith as Daniel because of me." She turned her backs to him again and a sob escape from her mouth.

"I'm sure we can find a place like this to live our lives in peace. We just have to be careful." He placed his hands on her shoulders, caressing them lightly, his chin resting close to her neck.

"He's a powerful man, he can find us." Shaking her head, she leaned his head to his, letting the warmth from him soothe her troubled mind.

"My father is a powerful man too." He said, his heart fluttered at her fear.

"Even if I have to come back to my kingdom with you and ask for my father's forgiveness, even if I had to humiliate myself to him, I'd do it."

"I only wish my mother was alive to know you. She'd love you." He completed.

"What was her name?" Regina curiously asked.

"Lorelai Locksley." He murmured, leaning his head down and looking at his feet.

"Beautiful name." She tried to comfort him, turning around and putting her delicate hands on his cheeks, making him to look at her.

"Her parents called her _Rory_ when she was young…" He said, with tearing eyes and she nodded, but she had to control her tears. She couldn't bear his pain, she just couldn't. But she had to be strong for him, she had to solace him instead of breaking apart right now.

"I'm so sorry, Robin." She caressed his face with her fingers.

"Look." He put one hand inside his pocket and showed her a ring.

"The only thing I still have from her. It's really important to me." He said and she smiled at the simple beauty of the jewelry.

"Before I left, she said I should give this for the woman of my life and then she'd give to our daughter, to continue the tradition. This ring is in our family for centuries."

 _I want to give the ring to you, Regina._

His attempts to put the ring in her finger were really strong but he had to wait until the right moment, a moment of peace, when they were free from that life.

"I'm sure the woman who gets this ring will be very luck." She said and turned her face away from him, still hoping that that woman would be her.

 _It's you, my love…_

But instead, he turned her to him and faced her, with resolution in his eyes.

"I'd do anything for you, Regina."

"I'll never give up on you, no matter how difficult our lives turned up." He assured her.

"Robin…" She breathed deeply.

"There's Rumpelstiltskin. I told you about him. He's not leaving me alone." She worried about the imp.

"We can find something magical or someone to protect us against him." He tried to comfort her with shining and hopeful eyes.

"Maybe I know a person who can help us with magic." She will try to contact Tinkerbell, she didn't know how but she had to try.

"Who?" He knew about Regina's lesson with the imp and despite the apprehension he had towards magic, he also understood that magic could be used for good intentions, and right now, they needed it.

"A fairy. She led me to you at the tavern that day." She confessed, blushing, because that was the first time she was admitting it to him.

"Really?" His eyes narrowed and he couldn't hide a smirk appearing on his face.

"Don't be smug!" She gave him a little pat on the shoulder and he breathed out an "ouch", but his smile was giving him away.

"I'm happy to know we have a special connection."

"Do you care to tell me what it is?" He took her hands in his and she pursed her lips.

"Maybe one day…" She'd tell him about their connection one day, when she was ready, but she didn't want to rush things between them right now. Well, they were already planning an escape together and that was a huge step. So she'd wait for a moment of peace, when they'd be safe and then she'd tell him about their soulmate issue.

"Alright." He replied in a pout and she smiled.

"Try to ask for her help. I'm sure we'll find a way to run away together and nobody will reach us." He suggested and she nodded firmly.

"I'd do anything to protect you and have you by my side, milady." His eyes brimming in promise, worry, love, concern and anxiety.

"Do you want it? Spend your life by my side?" He laced their fingers together.

She looked at their hands and then to his face. That's when she saw it: those azure eyes, just like the ocean, so beautiful and blue. She looked deep into them as she bent up and whispered to him.

"Yes." At her answer, he smiled hard, showing his gorgeous dimples at her.

"I'll plan our escape as fast as I can." He started to wonder about how they could run away from this kingdom in safety. It'd not be easy, he knew that, but he'd anything to have his precious queen, the queen of his heart, by his side for the rest of his life.

"I swear I'm going to make you happy and…" He was talking but she cut his words, leaning in and placing a sweet kiss on his lips.

"I know you are. You already do." She whispered against his lips, after receding.

"You're my dreams coming true, milady." He confessed.

"And you are mine." She smiled openly as she hadn't done for a long time. He was bringing strength, hope and love back to her life and no matter the obstacles, she knew they'd face them together.

"May I kiss you again?" He smirked.

"Are you asking for my permission?" She narrowed her eyebrow, lively.

She started to tease, putting her hands on her waist as she said:

"I thought thieves usually steal…" She looked deeply into his eyes as he leaned closer to her, his lips brushing hers when she was speaking.

He cut whatever words she was planning to say and reached her in a fast stride, snatching her in his arms. Her joyous laugh tickled his ear as he lifted her off her feet. Urgently his mouth roved across her face with rough kisses that stung her cheek, her chin, her forehead and finally, her lips.

He put her down gently, rubbing the side of her jaw with his hands, her arms circling his neck as they stared each other in amazement.

No other word was spoken that evening because they didn't need to, they could read their thoughts in silence. They only enjoyed each other as if there was no tomorrow. Their plan, as dangerous as could be, it was the only immediate exit. They were in love and they needed to be together. They wanted to build a life, a family, maybe in a place like that house, where they shared their first kiss and confessed for the first time their love.

 **** FLASHBACK OFF ****

Regina woke up sweating and gasping. Her heart was beating fast, tears of emotions were falling from her eyes. Despite it had been a sweet and nice dream (at least she thought that at the moment) everything seemed to be so real. It wasn't the first time she had dreamed about Robin and her in their youth, meeting each other for the first time, falling in love and making plans for a future together… She wished she had entered the damn tavern that day, maybe things would be different right now.

After been discharged from the hospital last week, her sick mornings were becoming worse. She was in that stage of the pregnancy: she was throwing up even more, it was like she was being hung over, without the fun of the night before. She had to get up a few times during the night to urine. When she came back to her bed, she couldn't sleep immediately and turned around on the bed for hours, trying to forget the pain of her swollen breasts. When the day came, she only wanted to sleep. She was always feeling fine one minute and the next one she was feeling as if she hadn't slept in a week.

But the worst part of all it was her mood: she was crying for everything. Yesterday, she was getting ready for bed, looking for some pajamas, and despite she wasn't showing yet (she calculated she was around 10 weeks but she could be right or wrong), she was feeling bloated and fat. When she checked out her closet, it seemed any of her clothes didn't fit her anymore. She sat down on the floor and cried because she would never, not in that or other land, buy those horrible pregnant clothes.

But then she remembered she had almost lost her daughter past week and she couldn't be more grateful the baby was fine now. She wiped away her tears, rubbing her stomach softly and apologizing with her little girl for being so selfish.

 _Why was she crying for clothes instead of thanking heavens for her daughter's life?_

Then, remembering that, she started to cry again.

She was like a roll coaster of emotions.

And there was Robin…

She tried to call him a lot of times but she got no answers. She couldn't risk going to the camp because Dr. Whale had advised for her some rest due to the blood lost. She knew Robin was angry and disappointed with her and she understood his reasons. After the incident with Arthur on the hospital, she knew Robin was thinking the baby wasn't his. However, he hadn't given her a chance to explain herself and that was hurting her a lot. The whole situation was a mess, starting from the beginning. Everything was wrong and she had no idea if one day they could manage it.

Now, all those complicated thoughts were making her cry again.

 _Jesus! The hormones were killing her!_

She was about to go to the bathroom again (for the third time on that night) when her phone started to vibrate. Looking at the screen, she groaned as she saw Emma's number. If that savior irritated Regina before, right now she was about to kill her, and this time, she meant it.

She was about to dismiss the call but then she remembered Emma was committed to find Zelena and stop her plans to become the new Dark One. Well, Emma wasn't a bad person but her instinct to be a hero and save the world made her brought that woman from the past at the first place. And then, everything happened. But it wasn't her fault, right? How would she know at that time the woman was Marian? No…not Marian, but Regina's wicked sister?

She groaned in frustration but she tried to remain calm for the sick of her daughter and because Emma was only doing her _job_ as the savior. Add the fact that Emma had a miserable life, without her parents, and that was because of Regina. She was about to cry again but she shook her head and accepted the incoming call.

"What do you want at this time of the night, Emma?" Regina breathed deeply and tried to be polite.

"We found Zelena!" Emma went directly at the point.

"What? Where? When?" Regina straightened up her posture on the bed into a sitting one, widening her eyes.

"Look at your window and you'll understand." The blonde suggested and Regina stood up from her bed, walked towards the window and saw a dark and heavy cloud involving the sky of the entire town.

She froze at her spot. She knew what was happening. The darkness was coming again and she sensed that this time Zelena would win. They could try to stop her, but deeply inside, she felt they would not be able to avoid the inevitable. She didn't know her sister well, but if she was a Mills as her, she wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted. Maybe the only difference between them was a single but strong feeling, the one that was enough to make Zelena powerful than her: the capacity of love, and Zelena didn't have it.

 _Love is weakness!_

Her mother's words were banging in her head again.

Even in her evil's days, Regina loved. She loved Daniel, her father, Henry…but her sister? Maybe the life had been crueler to her than it had been to Regina. Despite everything, Regina had loved and had been loved. Love can make you break, make you suffer, make you die (as Daniel did), make you weak, but at the same time, it's the most powerful magic and feeling at all, it's what make you have strength to live. Now she understood that. No matter how complicated her life was right now, at least she loved and was loved.

"Where are you?" Regina demanded.

"Listen, I just called to inform you about the situation but I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here." Emma warned her.

"Emma!" Regina reprimanded her.

"The last time, the darkness almost caught you and your daughter!" Emma tried to convince her.

"This time is different!" Regina complained.

"Look at the sky, she's conjuring the darkness correctly. I'm sure if the darkness appears, it'll only take her." Regina completed her point of view. She wasn't crazy to risk her daughter's life but she knew Emma needed her help and her little girl was save this time.

"You're right." Emma saw the dark cloud surrounding the town and noticed Regina had a valid point.

"We are in front of the clock tower." Emma didn't have to say anything else for Regina to poof herself at the exactly place they were, totally dressed up.

"Wow!" Emma exclaimed and jumped from her place as she saw the former queen appearing by her side.

"I'll never get used to that." She admitted, and despite the situation, Regina chuckled.

"Where's she?" Regina narrowed her eyes in worry.

"We don't know yet. We think she's inside the tower but I'm sure she will show her face soon. She loves a show…you know that." Emma pointed that out.

"Regina." Came a breathless voice behind her. It was just a voice, just a calling for her name, but made her whole body shiver.

It was him.

She turned around slowly and faced him for the first time since the incident. His face was showing concern, fear and regret at the same time, Regina could notice that.

He came to her, standing only inches apart, making her breathe his characteristic and unique smell, a smell she never, not in a million ages, would forget.

"Are you alright?" He reached her hands, squeezing them tightly and looking directly at her eyes.

 _I would be better if you were by my side…if you had given me a chance to talk to you._

She wanted to say it, but instead she only said:

"I'm fine."

"The baby?" The concern in his eyes increased as he asked to her about the child for the first time since he had knew she was pregnant.

 _Wasn't he angry at her?_

 _Was he caring about her baby despite thinking the father was another man?_

She stared at him for a moment in disbelieve, looking for any trace of doubt or sorrow, but she didn't find any of that. What she found made her gasped and her heart skip a beat. He was sorry and saying, even in silence, he still loved her and cared for her and her baby. He didn't have to tell her that, she knew it only by looking into his eyes.

 _She's your daughter, Robin. Our dear little girl. Our little miracle._

She was screaming internally for telling him the truth, but shaking her head and looking around, she noticed the Charming family (especially Snow) staring at them without blinking her eyes. They were in an awkward silence, as if they were waiting for any movement to cheer up and clasp their hands together, as if their favorite team were heading the champion's league. She even could picture them throwing confetti on them (even David was rubbing his hands nervously and impatiently).

She didn't know if she laughs of the scenario in front of her or if she burns them alive with a fire ball for trying to invade her personal life.

 _And for God sakes! Zelena was about to become the new Dark One and they were still expecting and being interesting in love's displays of affections?_

Clearing her throat, she broke the Chaming's family hopes and intentions (and because she hated an audience), and said:

"She's fine too." She said, smiling fuzzily and touching the place their daughter was resting.

"She?" Robin's smile couldn't be bigger, but she saw a little of disappointment there.

She knew he had always wanted a girl to complete their family and there she was, inside of Regina's belly, growing every single day and fighting for her life as a real warrior. Their girl would be born no matter what. She was a fighter, a braver girl, and she would come to this world. She had survived from the darkness, hadn't she?

"Yes."

"I didn't run the medical tests but I'm sure it's a girl." She breathed out the words for him, looking at her stomach, her hands placing there.

"A girl, Regina…" He led his hands above hers and squeezed them involuntarily. The impact of his touch on her stomach, the feeling of his fingers caressing the place softly, brought trembling to her hands.

Regina widened her eyes and gasped as she felt a strange feeling inside her belly. She could taste the bile at the back of her throat, but at least her hands had stopped trembling. Looking at their connected hands above her stomach, she could sense her daughter's magic starting to run through them. It was like butterflies flapping its wings. She was reading a lot of books about pregnant women but she was not supposed to feel it right now, it was too soon.

However, their daughter was special, unique, a product of soulmate, and it was the first time her daughter's father was touching her belly. Looking at Robin's glassy eyes, she could see Robin was touched as her by the baby's reaction. He was suppressing tears in his eyes, as she was in hers. She smiled, looking at him and seeing the surprise showing on his face and a "wow!" leaving his mouth.

"I can feel her!" He exclaimed and his smile couldn't be brighter and that same brightness brought light to her heart. For the first time, since she had discovered she was pregnant, she was feeling complete. The other half of her miracle was sharing an unexplainable feeling with her and their baby.

"Yes, there she is." Regina breathed out as a whisper or a prayer for their daughter to show him what she didn't have the courage to speak trough words.

As at a silent understanding, he diverted his eyes from her stomach and they immediately locked into hers. There they were, the real them, with their souls exposed to each other. She could read all the thoughts and sorrows he was carrying in his heart and in his mind. He could feel that as well, even if he didn't know how he should use the right words right now.

"I'm truly happy for her…." He started to confess.

"I mean it, even if my previous behavior said the opposite." He completed and she could see and feel he couldn't be more honest with his words.

"I know…" She smiled that bright smile he had dreamed every single day (especially in the nights without her) and right now, he couldn't be more grateful she was giving to him the opportunity to see it once again. He could die right now only at the sign in front of him: the woman of his life, his soulmate, was truly smiling at him and showing all her emotions of carrying her first baby, a miracle she thought she'd never experience – as she had told before – with him. He blinked away the unshed tears and made a resolution: he would not give up on her. It didn't matter if the baby was his or not. To the hell with it! Seeing Regina glowing that way made his heart melt and skip some beats. That woman was destined to be his and he was hers, heart and soul. And if she'd aloud him, he'll be the father of her precious baby, a devoted one.

"Guys!" Emma had to be the most boring person in the world (but it was necessary at the moment) and interrupted them.

"It's coming." She said breathless, pointing out at the sky.

Everybody raised their heads and saw the darkness hovering over the tower and going straightly to the tower.

"Regina, I think you should not stay here." Robin took her hands in his tightly and spoke directly to her, with widened and concerned eyes.

"I don't think the darkness would take a chance with me once more." She squeezed his hands back, as a reassuring.

"You're not sure about that. You almost lost your child." The panic in his eyes was evident.

"I have to help Emma. She's not strong enough to stop Zelena." Regina said and started to head the people to the tower.

"Regina…" Robin reached her forearm, trying to stop her.

"Trust me. If I sense my daughter is in danger, I'll walk away. But right now, I'm doing this for her, for our sons, and for the town." She replied and judging by the look in his eyes, he understood her position.

"Be careful." He nodded at her, trusting in her words.

"I'm watching your back." He assured her, arming his bow.

The group followed Regina and Emma toward the tower stairs. David was wielding his sword. Snow, along with Robin and as the old times, was holding her bow.

"Zelena, please, stop!" Regina screamed as they reached the end of the tower. Everybody else was behind her, aiming their arms.

"Do you really think I'm stopping it right now?" Zelena turned to them slowly and challengingly, with the dagger in one hand and Merlin's wand in the other.

"I'm trying to do it for a long time." She looked directly at Regina, as if her sister should know about her intentions.

"No one have the right to say what I should do or not do!" Zelena went on, ignoring the people's begs, as usual.

"No one knows me!" She south out, in a loud tone and with an angry expression.

"Maybe not…but everybody has a second chance." Regina tried to intervene, to show to her sister that she was on that path of revenge before and that was not worthy.

"I know. You're right!" Zelena exclaimed, with a victorious tone.

"And this…" She looped around, looking at the darkness hovering in the sky through the tower window.

"This is my second chance." She finally stated and waved the wand at the sky and made the darkness start to down in its meeting.

"And I'm not failing again." She concluded.

"Zelena, please…you're pregnant." Robin stepped forward this time and tried to beg her for the last time.

"So what?" She smiled sarcastically.

"It's not the baby's fault." He put a hand in front of him, as an attempt to protection.

"I can take care of the baby if you don't want it." He tried to make his final supplication. Noticing the desperation and tension on her soulmate's body, Regina stepped forward, towards him, and grabbed his forearm whispering "Robin" on his ear.

"You're a weak man! You keep saying you have honor but you don't. Your honor is based on the easy path, not the right one!" Zelena screamed.

"If the baby survives, fine. If it's not…" She laughed wickedly and Robin couldn't be more broken.

"No!" Robin screamed as he saw Zelena putting together the two artifacts and aiming the sky.

"I really don't care!" She spat those words and pointed the wand at sky again, making the whole darkness, that once was hovering the sky, hit it.

"No!" Robin screamed again and started to approach her but Regina put her body in front of him, making him stop.

"Please, don't…you'll get hurt too. It's over, Robin." Regina said with begging eyes and his first reaction was hug her tight, trying to protect her and her baby against the strong wind and lighting that started to invade the place.

"Everything is going to be alright." Regina rested her head in the crock of his neck and hold onto him as her life while the dark magic was involving the place.

"No matter what, I want to be with you for the rest of my life." Robin was saying while he was observing the power and intensity of the magic.

The phenomenon was incredible, if it was not dangerous. All the darkness was hitting Merlin's wand as a thunder. Zelena's body started to move uncontrollably.

Robin was murmuring comforting words for Regina but for himself too. He felt her body shaking in fear, while waves and waves of powerful magic was taking care of Zelena's body, taking her away from the ground and making the former and old heroes widening their eyes in shock.

"It's over." Regina could listen Emma's voice muttering those words, and she raised her head, taking in the situation and knowing the consequences of it. She closed her eyes again and enjoyed the warm of the Robin's body because she knew that everything was lost and then…

 _BOOMMMMM!_

It was a bang, a hard one, and maybe the last one, that made everybody shock their bodies against the tower's wall.

"Did she make it?" After a time, Snow managed to lift up and look at the tower window, seeing no trace of Zelena there.

"Yes." Regina whispered, opening her eyes and seeing the scenario right in front of her.

"Are you alright?" Robin leaned his head and looked directly at her eyes, putting one hand on her cheek and the other on her stomach, where their baby was placed.

"We are." She assured him and he nodded, rubbing both hands where they are.

"What's going on here?" Gold invaded the place, concern in his eyes.

"Zelena is the new Dark One." Snow explained.

"No!" The former Dark One put a hand on his mouth but tried to think about a solution to their problem.

"What do we do now?" David interrogated.

"Now we pray…" Mr. Gold admitted with defeated eyes.

"We have to do something!" Robin exclaimed.

"We have some time until she recover herself and learn how to use the new powers." Rumpel was pacing back and forth, while his mind was trying to find a solution.

"How long?" Regina inquired.

"I don't know." Rumpel answered and started to walk around the small place, staring at the floor and thinking about the possibilities.

"Maybe we have one month, one week, one day…I can't precise it. Zelena was born with magic, strong magic." He said, looking at Regina's eyes.

"And she had been always determined and a good pupil." This time, Regina rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sure because when I became the Dark One, I had no idea how to use magic, but she does and very well, by the way." He pointed.

"So I suggest we act fast." He completed.

"What do you suggest? Is there anything we can do?" Snow asked, and everyone was intrigued by the answer.

"Maybe." He stated.

"What?" Regina frowned and approached him, fearing that she wouldn't like his answer.

"Make sure that her only opponent is safe and will be born." Rumpel motioned his arms towards Regina's stomach, making her stepped back immediately.

"That's the only way." The former dark one thought and let the words split out of his mouth.

"What are you suggesting?" Robin asked, with a confusion look, staring at Rumpel, while he was staring at Regina's stomach.

"Regina's baby…" But before Rumpel could complete his sentence, he was interrupted by a panic and angry Regina.

"No!" She braced her arms firmly around her waist and tears started to form in her eyes.

Robin saw the desperation taking care of her and approached her, hugging her tightly from behind, putting his own hands above her and whispering in her ears:

"No one will warm your baby, Regina. I promise you." He reassured her, interlacing his fingers with hers.

"There must to have another way or someone else." Robin put his strong and protective arms around Regina's waist.

"She's only a baby!" Regina almost screamed and couldn't contain her tears anymore.

"That's why I think the only solution it's …"

"What? I'm not doing anything you're saying." Regina interrupted Rumpel again, nodding her head in negative.

"You have to leave the town and give birth to your baby in safety." Rumpel suggested.

"Are you crazy? I'm leaving my town." Regina refused to accept his idea.

"Why Regina's daughter? We can't put the baby in danger." Robin complained.

"We are not." Rumpel stated.

"We have to protect you and your baby, Regina. It's the only way." Rumpel was sincere.

"Your magic…" Rumpel pointed at Regina and Emma.

"It isn't strong enough to stop Zelena forever. I can't see other way out."

"You have to leave Storybrooke." The former Dark One continued.

"Otherwise, everything is over. I'm sure soon or later Zelena will know about your baby and what it means for her. She won't let the baby born, Regina" Rumpel concluded.

"I can't leave the town!" Regina almost screamed.

"I'm not leaving the town." She was emphatic.

"Regina…" Snow approached her and tried to talk to her.

"No, Snow. I can't…" She had tears in her eyes. She worried about her daughter, of course, but leaving the town, meant leaving behind Henry, her friends, the father of her daughter and his son.

"Take Henry with you…" Emma stepped forward towards her as she saw the conflict in Regina's eyes.

"What?" Regina looked at her in confusion.

"He'll be safer out of here, Regina." Emma explained and Regina nodded her head in negative.

"You know beside the power, Zelena wants to hurt you…" The savior started to talk and tried to convince Regina that leaving the town was the best solution.

"What do you think she'll do?" Emma's words were as a knife at Regina's heart because she knew what her sister was planning to do, and between other things, it would torture her by hurting the people she loved most.

"Hurt people that you love…I can't let my son – our son – here, Regina." The blondie took her hands from Robin's and squeezed them.

"Please!" It was her last supplication.

"Regina…" Robin took her face into his hand and turned it gently, making her focused her attention at his eyes.

"You have to go, my love." He said and she turned her face away again.

"It'll be the best for everyone." He gently brought her eyes to his once again.

"And you'll take Roland with you and…" Before he could finish his words, Regina tried to intervened but Robin didn't let her do it this time. She knew what was coming next, so she closed her eyes.

"No." She murmured in protest.

"Please, he's my son and I know you love him as much as I do, so please….take our family away from here and keep them safe." She looked deeply into his eyes, mouth opened and touched by his gesture…

 _Our family…_

She got fuzzy with his statement because now, despite of the crises, they were his family: her, Roland, Henry and the baby. The future of the town was depending on her, her decision.

"What about you?" She knew his answer but she wanted to ask for him to come with her. It was selfish but her heart couldn't bear to stay away from him again, to let him there for probably been killed by her sister. But she knew he was a hero and wouldn't hide from a battle.

"I'm staying and fighting with the others. I have to…please, Regina."

Everyone kept quiet and looking at her, knowing that only her decision could save them. Everyone's future was in her hand, including the people she loved most, so what she could decide instead of weakly say:

"Alright…I'm leaving Storybrooke."

 **Thanks for reading!**


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